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SABBATEI-SCHOOL LESSONS

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017

THE

V137

ITU AEI'S MENGE

HIRE OF PETER,

FOR SENIOR CLASSES.

JULY TO

TO DECEMBER, 1888.

PRICE, FIFTEEN CENTS,

PUBLISHED BY THE

INTERNATIONAL S. S. ASSOCIATION.

1888.

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PACkV \C, PRESS PUBUSH \SAG COMPANI.

Sabbath-School Teacher's Helps.

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We give below a list of miscellaneous teacher's helps, which will be found

invaluable for every teacher's library.

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Schaff 's Bible Dictionary,

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ADDRESS,

PACIFIC PUSS PV tIMING 1107SE,

OAKLAND,

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CALIFORNIA

The History of the Sabbath

AND—

The First Day of the Week.

By JOHN NEVINS ANDREWS,

Late Missionary at Basel, Switzerland, Editor of

Les Signes des Temps,

and author of numerous

Theological Books and Tracts.

This book has been revised and enlarged, and now contains 548 pages, with steel portrait of author.

It is a mine of useful information on the Sabbath question. It treats the subject from a Biblical and his-

torical standpoint. Every passage of Scripture which has any conceivable connection with the Sabbath,

in the Old Testament or in the New, is examined at length. The various steps by which the change from

the seventh day to the first day was made, and the final exaltation of the Sabbath, are given in detail.

Every Bible student should have a copy of this book.

Price, cloth, 8vo.

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$2 oo

Address:

PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING HOUSE,

Oakland, Cal.,

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REVIEW & HERALD, Battle Creek, Mich.

ERRATA.

LESSON

VII, Question 9, change " with " to " by."

LESSON

IX, Question 25,

Ans.,

insert ( " ) at end of

answer.

LESSON

XI, Question

20, "

demand" must be "command."

LessoN XV, Question 15,

Ans.,

"radical" must be "ra-

cial."

THE THIRD ANGELS MESSAGE

_i_.,SSIO1NoT

yuly 7,1888.

THE TIME OF THE MESSAGE.

WHAT four kingdoms are represented

in Dan. 2 : 31-40 and Dan. 7 : 1-7 ?

Ans.

—Babylon (Dan. 2 : 37, 38); Medo-Persia

(Dan. 5 : 28); Grecia (Dan. 8 : 20, 21)

;

Rome (Luke 2

: 1).

What is represented by the ten horns

upon the fourth beast? Dan. 7 : 7, 24.

To what date did the kingdom of

Babylon continue?

Ans.—B.

C. 538•

To what date did Medo-Persia con-

tinue ?

Ans.—B.

C. 331.

Grecia?

Ans.—B.

C. i68.

Rome ?

Ans.

—A. D. 476.

When Rome fell, what stood in its

place ? Dan. 7 : 24, first part.

What was to arise after them and yet

among them ? Dan. 7 : 8, first part, and

verse 24, last part.

What was the nature of this power as

compared with the ten? Verse zo, last

clause.

Jo. What else was peculiar about the horn?

Verses 8 and zo, last clause of each.

What did he both speak and do ?

Verse 25.

12.

What power of all the earth has done

to the greatest extent what is here said?

Ans.—The

Papacy.

13.

Upon the rise of this horn, what was

done with three of the ten ? Dan. 7 : 8, 20.

/' 14. What three of the ten kingdoms fell ?

Ans.—The

Heruli, the Vandals, and the

Ostrogoths. See " Thoughts on Daniel,"

7: 24. Those who wish to study the history

on this point, see Gibbon, chap. 39, par. 6-8;

41:7-12, 21-28.

15.

At what dates ?

Ans.—Heruli

A. D.

493, Vandals 534, Ostrogoths 538.

16.

What then is the date of the-establish-

ment of the Papacy ? See note.

17.

How long was the Papacy to have

power over the saints, the times, and the laws ?

Dan. 7 : 25.

IS. Literally what length of time is this?

Rev. 12 : 14, 6; Eze. 4 : 4-6. See note.

19. Beginning as it did, in A. D. 538, when.

should it end ?

Ans.—A.

D. 1798.

2o. What historical event marks the end;

of the 1260 years of Papal supremacy ?

Ans.

—The French army under Berthier abolished

the Papacy in Rome, proclaimed a republic

there, A. D. 1798, and carried Pope Pius VI.

a captive from place to place till he died

Valence, France, August 28, 1799.

NOTES.

QUESTION

O.—As this little horn power,

the Papacy, was to be established by the fall of

three

of the ten, and as the last of the three

fell in 538, it is clear that A.

538 is the date

from which the establishment of the Papacy

must be reckoned.

QUESTION

18.—Rev.

12 :

14 uses the same

expression as that in Dan. 7 : 25, saying, " To

the women were given two wings of a great

eagle, 'that she might fly into the wilder-

ness, . . . for a time, and times, and half a

time ;" and verse 6 says, "The woman fled into

the wilderness, . . . that they should

feed her there a thousand two hundred and

threescore days." These texts make it pos-

itive that the words "time, and times, and the

dividing of time" signify 1260 days. But as

these days are used as symbols, each day sig-

nifies a year, because that is the law. The

Lord told Ezekiel that in conducting a sym-

bolical siege against Jerusalem, he should lie

on his left side "three hundred and ninety

days;" and on his right side "forty days;"

because this was to be a " sign" to the house of



THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

Israel and Judah, and the Lord had laid upon

him, and by this signified to them, "

theyears

of their iniquity according to the number of

the

days,"

because, "I have appointed thee

each day for a year." It is the appointment

of God, that when days are used in connec-

tion with symbols, each day shall stand for

a year.

QUESTION

20.—In A. D. 1797, Napoleon

was ordered by the French Directory to de-

stroy the Papal Government. The Pope was

helpless, but instead of obeying orders,

Na-

poleon, on his own responsibility, made peace

with him, and returned to France. The

words of the history are as follows:—

" Bonaparte now invaded the Papal terri-

tories and rapidly overran them. He had

orders from the Directory to destroy the

Papal Government, but, on his own responsi-

bility, he disregarded these instructions, and

concluded with the helpless Pontiff the peace

of Talentino on the 19th of February, 1797.

" Upon the return of Bonaparte from Italy,

General Berthier was ordered by the Directory

to carry out its instructions respecting the

Papal Government, which Bonaparte had de-

clined to execute. The people of the Papal

States were thoroughly discontented. , Ber-

thier marched to Rome and was received as

a deliverer. He proclaimed the restora-

tion of the Roman Republic ; made Pope

Pius VI. a prisoner, and stripped him of all

his property, . . . and removed him to

France, where he was detained in captivity."

—Pictorial _History of the World, p. 756.

The Pope was just as helpless in 1797 as

he was in 1798, but 1797 was too early; the

time did not expire till 1798; and "the'

Scriptures cannot be broken." John

: 35.

LESSON II.

id)

14, 1888.

THE TIME OE THE MESSAGE—Continued.

To what event, and date, were we

brought in the previous lesson ?

In this dealing with the Papacy what

additional prophecies were fulfilled ? Rev.

13 : 3, first part, and verse ro.

How may we know that this prophecy

relates to the same power as that in the pre-

vious lesson? Compare • Dan. 7 : 4-8 with

Rev. 13: r, 2; and Dan. 7 : 8, 25 with Rev.

13 : 5-7.

Was this captivity and deadly wound

to put a total end to the Papacy? Rev. 13 : 3.

When was it that this captivity oc-

curred ?

AIM—A.

D. 1798.

At that time what else-did the prophet

see? Rev. 13 : 1 r.

Is it for us to know what this means ?

Deut. 29 : 29.

Is this a revelation ? Rev. I : I, 3.

What part of the world was represented

by the symbol of the leopard?

Ans.—Grecia.

What by the bear? Ans.—Media and Persia.

What by the lion ? Ans.—Babylonia. What

by the beast and the ten horns ?

Ans.—

Western Europe and North Africa.

ro. Then as the characteristics of all these

are found in the first beast of Rev. 13, what

parts of the world are covered by the descrip-

tion of this first beast ? Ans.—The princi-

pal parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Whence was this other beast seen com-

ing up ?

Ans.—"

Out of the earth." Rev.

13 : II.

12.

Whence had the first beast risen ?

Rev. 13 : I.

13.

What is meant by " sea," when used as

a symbol ? Rev. 17 : 15.

14.

What then is represented by a power

coming up out of the sea ? See note.

15.

What by a power coming out of the

earth ? See note.

16.

In 1798, how much of Europe, Asia,

and Africa, was occupied by peoples, multi-

tudes, and established and organized nations ?

Ans.—All

the known parts of them.

17.

How long had it been so ?

Ans.—

For ages.

18.

Therefore, as the symbols which are

directly connected with the beast, embrace

the principal parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa,

as all the rest of the known parts of the East-

ern Continent had been for ages occupied by

established nations; and as the other beast

was to arise where this had not been so;

where must this " other beast " arise?

Ans.—

In the Western Continent.

19.

Did the dominion of the first beast or

any of the ten kingdoms extend to any part

of the Western Continent in 1798?

Ans.—

It did. Spain, France, Portugal, and Britain

THE THIRD AiVr;FL'S MESSAGE.



then owned all except the possessions of what

had been the thirteen British colonies, but

which then formed the United States of

America.

zo. What position then did the Govern-

ment of the United States occupy in 1798 ?

Ans.-It

was the only independent nation

then on the earth, which had arisen where

there had not formerly been for ages, peoples,

multitudes, and established nations.

2 I.

What then is the inevitable conclusion ?

Ans.--:-That the United States Government is

the power signified in the prophecy of Rev.

13 : 1I-17.

22.

What is to be said to the people of

this Government? Verse 14, last part.

23.

When they shall have made an image

to the beast, what will he do ? Verses

I t,

15.

NOTE.

QUESTIONS

14,



his

vision of the

seventh chapter, Daniel says : "The four

winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

And four great beasts came up from the sea."

These four great beasts represented the four

great kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia,

Grecia, and Rome. Each of these arose by

overthrowing the one that had gone before it.

And as a symbolic sea represents peoples,

multitudes, nations, and tongues, it is easy to

understand how these great powers came up

from the sea. It is also plain that a power

symbolized as coming up out of the

earth

would arise from a condition of things the

opposite of that represented as the sea; that

is, from a place where, before it, there had

not been peoples, multitudes, nations, and

tongues.

LA-

I:SSC:EN

III.



uly 21,1888.

THE TIME OF THE iliESSAGr-Continued.

WHAT

warning does God give, against

the worship of the beast and his image?

Rev. 14 :9-t

This text says, " The third angel fol-

lowed

them;"

followed whom ? Verses 6, 8.

The sixth verse says, " I saw

another

angel fly in the midst of heaven;" to what

does this seem to direct us ?

Ans.-To

an-

other one that had been seen somewhere.

Where is the record of John's seeing

another angel flying thus ? Rev. 8 : 13.

What is the burden of this angel's cry?

How many woes ?

By reason of what ?

Then with what are these three woes

connected ?

To what does the fifth trumpet-the

first woe-refer?

Ans.-To

the rise and

spread of Mohammedanism. " With sur-

prising unanimity, commentators have agreed

in regard to this as referring to the empire of

the Saracens, or to the rise and progress of the

religion and the empire of Mohammed."-

Albert Barnes.

to. What did the prophet say should be

commanded them ? Rev. 9 : 4.

1. What was commanded them ? Gibbon

: to. See note.

12.

For what specific length of time were

they to torment men? Verses 5,

Io.

13.

When did this period begin ?

Ans.

-It was on the twenty-seventh day of July,.

in the year twelve hundred and ninety-nine

of the Christian Era, that Othman first in-

vaded the territory of Nicomedia.-Gibbon,.

chap. 6d, par. 13.

14.

Then at what time did the first woe

end?

Ans.-July

27, 1449.

15.

What followed ? Rev. 9 : 13.

16.

How long was the sixth trumpet-the

second woe-to continue ? Verse 15.

17.

Literally what length of time is this?

Ans.-391

years and 15 days.

18.

When did it end? Ans.-August u,

184o.

19.

What historical event marks the ending

of this time at that date? Ans.-On that

day the four great powers, of Europe,-En-

gland, Austria, Prussia, and Russia,--assumed

control of all the foreign affairs of the Gov-

ernment of Turkey, and have held it ever since.

See "Thoughts on the Revelation," 9 : 18,

NOTE.

QUESTION I I.-"

Remember th at you are al-

ways in the presence of God; on the verge of

death, in the assurance of judgment, and the

hope of Paradise. Avoid injustice and op-

pression; consult with your brethren, and



THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

study to preserve the love and confidence of

*Jur troops. When you fight the battles of

the Lord, acquit yourselves like men, without

turning your backs; but let not your victory

the stained with the blood of women or chil-

dren.

Destroy no palm trees, nor burn any

,fields of corn. Cut down no fruit trees,

nor

zdo any mischief to cattle, only such as you

&ill to eat. When you make any covenant or

.article, stand to it, and be as good as your

word. As you go on, you will find some re-

Igious persons who live retired in monas:

teries, and propose to themselves to serve

'God that way; let them alone, and neither

kill them nor destroy their monasteries. And

you will find another sort of people that be-

long to the synagogue of Satan, who have

shaven crowns; be sure you cleave their skulls,

.and give them no quarter till they either turn

Vfahometans or pay tribute."

IJESSC)_N IV.

yuly 28,1888.

'THE TIME OF THE MESSAGE—Continued.

I. To what date were we brought in the

lint two lessons ?

To what date were we brought in our

?last lesson ?

What prophetic period then closed?

..L4ns..—The

second woe, the sounding of the

sixth trumpet.

After that what was to come quickly ?

Rev.

11:14.

How many woes were there to be ?

Rev. 8

: 13.

With what are these three woes con-

nected ?

Then with what is the third woe con-

nected ?



Then when the third woe does begin,

Nwhat begins at the same time with it ?

Ans.

—The sounding of the seventh trumpet.

When the seventh angel sounded, what

xwere heard ? Rev. ri : 15.

o. What other notable events are men-

Ltioned in connection with the seventh trumpet?

Verses 18, 19.

t i.

What is meant by the wrath of God ?

Rev. is

: 1.

12.

When this time of the dead comes that

they should be judged, what is also said to

the living ? Rev.

14 : 6, 7..

13.

;When is it that reward is given to

saints and prophets, and them that fear the

name of the Lord? Rev.

22: 12;

Matt.

: 27.

14.

When is it that there come these light-

nings, and voices, and thunderings, and the

earthquake, and great hail ? Rev. 16

: 17,

18,

20, 21.

15.

In what length of time, comparatively,

was this woe—the seventh trumpet—to come,

after the second woe was past? Rev

I I : 14.

16.

When did the second woe end ?

Ans.—August

I1, 1840.

17.

Yet what was to come before the

seventh trumpet? Rev. ro

: I

, 2,

5, 7.

18.

What is it especially that this angel

says shall be done in the time of the seventh

trumpet angel?

19: What time in his sounding is this to be

done

Ans.—"

In the days [the years] .



when he shall begin to sound."

20.

What is the mystery of God? Eph.

3 : 3,

5-9;

Gal.

I : 12;

Eph.

6 :

18,

19;

Rom.

16 :25, 26.

21.

What is the gospel ? Rom. r

: 16.

22.

Then in effect what is said by the angel

in Rev. ro :

? Ans.—That in the days of

the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall

begin to sound, the power of God for the sal-

vation of sinners will cease to be exercised.

23.

As all these things are to follow in

quick succession when the seventh angel

sounds, is it not, therefore, of immense im-

portance to the world to know when the

seventh trumpet angel begins to sound ?

SSON V.

August 4, 1888

THE TINE OF THE MESSAGE—Concluded.

I . WHAT

was the purpose of the sanctuary

and the service of the Levitical priesthood?

Ans.—It

was a figure of the sanctuary and

service of the priesthood of Christ. Heb.

9 :9,

22, 23, II, 12,

24.

In the figure how often was the service

completed? Lev.

16 : 34;

Heb. 9 :

In the reality how often will it be com-

pleted? Heb. 9

: 12, 24-26 ; 10 3,

ro.

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.



What was that day's service called

which was performed on the last day of the

annual service of the earthly sanctuary?

Ans.

-The atonement, cleansing of the sanctuary,

and "reconciling" the sanctuary. Lev.



: 19,

20, 33.

What made it necessary to cleanse, or

reconcile, this sanctuary? Lev. 16 : 16, 3o,

34-

Is the heavenly sanctuary to be purified,

cleansed, or reconciled? Heb. 9 : 23; Col.

I : 20.

What says the prophecy on this? Dan.

8: 14.

'When-did this period of time begin?

Ans.-B.

C. 4567

. Dan. 9 : 25; Ezra

7 : 7-26.

When did it end?

Ans.-A.

D.-1844.

For 2300-456 Y3 =

2 =

844•

to. Then when did the cleansing-of the

heavenly sanctuary begin ?

1. In the figure what was done with those

who had not their sins taken away by the

work of atonement? Ans.-They were cut

off without mercy; their probation was

ended. Lev. 23 : 29, 3o.

12.

As 'this sanctuary service was all in

behalf of sinners, and as all who would not

partake of it were cut off without remedy,

what, in effect, was that work of atonement?

Ans.-A

work of judgment.

13.

When the seventh trumpet angel should

begin to sound what, among other things, was

then to come? Ans.-The time of the dead

that they should be judged. Rev. Ii

: 18.

14.

What says the angel of Rev. 14 : 6, 7.

15.

What then is the date of the message

of Rev. 14 : 6, 7 ?

Ans.-A.

D. 1844.

16.

Was there such a message given at

that time?

i 7. What was the result of the rejection of

that message? Rev. 14 :8.

18. What was the result of the "falling

away" after the first preaching of the gospel?

Thess.

2 :

3, 4.

LE SC.)_N

August zz

z888.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BEAST.

I. WHAT

power is represented by the first

beast of Rev. 13? Ans.-The Papacy.

From what was it developed ?

Ans.

-" A falling away." 2 Thess. 2 : 3.

In what was shown the first definite

evidence of falling away from the truth of God?

Ans.-The

adoption of heathen rites and

customs. "The bishops augmented the

number of religious rites in the Christian

worship, by way of accommodation to the in-

firmities and prejudices, both of Jews and

heathens, in order to facilitate their con-

version to Christianity." "For this purpose,

they gave the name of

mysteries

to the insti-

tutions of the gospel, and decorated particu-

larly the holy sacrament with that solemn

title. They used in that sacred institution, as

also in that of baptism, several of the terms

employed in the heathen mysteries, and pro-

ceeded so far, at length, as even to adopt

some of the ceremonies of which those

renowned mysteries consisted."-Mosheinz's

Church History, century II, part II, chap.

4, par. 2, 5.

How early was this manifested?

Ans.-

"This imitation began in the Eastern prov-

inces; but, after the time of Adrian [emperor

D. 117-138] who first introduced the mys-

teries among the Latins, it was followed by the

Christians who dwelt in the western parts

of the

empire."-Mosheim, Church History,

century II, part II, chap. 4, par. 5.

What worship was the most widely prev-

alent among all ancient nations? Ans.-Sun

worship-" the oldest, the most widespread,

and the most enduring of all the forms of idol-

atry known to man, viz:,

the worship of the

sun."-Talbot W Chambers,in Old Testament

Student, January, 1886.

When this worship was not directed to an

image, how was it performed?

Ans.-"

Before

the coming of Christ, all the Eastern nations

performed divine worship with their faces

turned to that part of the heavens where the

sun displays his rising beams. This custom



THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

was founded upon a general opinion that

God, whose essence they looked upon to be

light, and whom they considered as being

circumscribed within certain

limits, dwelt in

that part of the firmament, from which he

sends forth the sun, the bright image of his

benignity and

glory."—Mosheim, Church His-

tory, century II, part II, chap. 4, par. 7.

Eze. 8 : 16.

Was this custom adopted by some who

called themselves Christian?

Ans.—"

The

Christian converts, indeed, rejected this gross

error [of supposing that God dwelt in that part

of the firmament]; but they retained the ancient

and universal custom of worshiping toward the

east, which sprang from it. Nor is that cus-

tom abolished even in our times, but still

prevails in a great number of Christian

churches."—Mosheim,

Id.

What day was especially devoted to the

sun ?

Was that day adopted by these Chris-

tians also ?

Ans.—"

That very day was the

Sunday of their heathen neighbors and respect-

ive countrymen ; and patriotism gladly united

with expediency in making it at once their

Lord's day and their Sabbath."—North

Brit-

ish Review as quoted in History of the Sabbath,

chap. 16.

io. Upon what is the Papacy built?

Ans.

—Self-exaltation.

Thess. 2 :4.

r. In behalf of what was manifested the

first arrogant claims of the Papacy?

Ans.—

In behalf of Sunday.

12.

By whom ?

Ans.—By

Victor, who was

bishop of Rome,

A. I/ 193-202.

13.

What did he command?

Ans.—"

wrote an imperious letter to the Asiatic prelates

commanding them to imitate the example of

the Western Christians with respect to the

time of celebrating the festival of Easter [that

is, commanding them to celebrate it on Sun-

day]. The Asiatics answered this lordly

requisition . . . with great spirit and

resolution, that they would by no means

depart in this manner from the custom

handed down to them by their ancestors.

Upon this the thunder of excommunication

began to roar. Victor, exasperated by this

resolute answer of the Asiatic bishops, broke

communion with them. pronounced them un-

worthy of the name of his brethren, and ex-

cluded them from all fellowship with the

church of

Rome."—Hosheim, Id., chap. 4,

par. IL.

14.

How early in the second century had

this question been made an important one ?

Ans.—"

About the middle of this century,

during the reign of Antoninus Pius [about

16o], the venerable Polycarp went to Rome

to confer with Anicet, bishop of that See,

upon this matter."—Id., par.

10.

15.

What is the great characteristic of the

Papacy as a world power? Ans.—The union

of Church and State,—the religious power

dominating the civil power and using it to

further its own ends.

16.

When was the union of Church and

State formed, out of which grew the Papacy ?

Ans.—In

the reign of Constantine,

D. 313-

337.

17.

What was the condition and work of

most of the bishops at this time?

Ans.—

Worldly-minded bishops, instead of caring

for the salvation of their flocks, were often but

too much inclined to travel about, and en-

tangle themselves in worldly concerns."—Ne-

ander, Vol. II., p. z6, Torrey's Edition.

18.

What had these bishops determined to

do ?

Ans.—"

This theocratical theory was al-

ready the prevailing one in the time of Constan-

tine; and . . . the bishops voluntarily made

themselves dependent on him by their dis-

putes,

and by their determination to make use

of the power of the State for the furtherance of

aims."—Id., p. 132.

19.

What is the "theocratical theory " ?

Ans.—The theory of government of a State

by the immediate power or administration of

God.

20.

What then is the effect of a man-made

theocracy?

Ans.—To

put man in the place

of God ?

21.

Was this the outcome of the theocrat-

ical theory of the bishops of the fourth cent-

ury?

Thess.

2 :

3, 4.

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.



l.ASSCIT.V

August z8, 1338.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BEAST—

Concluded.

I. WHAT did we find in the preceding les-

son- was the determination of the bishops of

the fourth century?

Ans.—To

make use of

the power of the State for the furtherance of

their own aims.

What was one of the principal aims of

the Western bishops, especially the bishop of

Rome?

Ans.—The

exaltation of Sunday.

What did they secure from Constan-:

tine? Ans.—An edict, in

A. D. 321,

in favor

of Sunday—the first Sunday law that ever was.

What was this law?

Ans.—"

Let all

the judges and town people, and the occupa-

tion of all trades rest on the venerable day of

the sun; but let those who are situated in the

country, freely and at full liberty attend to the

business of agriculture; because it often hap-

pens that no other day is so fit for sowing

corn and planting vines; lest, the critical

moment being let slip, men should lose the

commodities granted by Heaven. Given the

seventh day of March ; Crispus and Con-

stantine being consuls, each of them for the

second

time."—History of the Sabbath, chap.

Who convened the Council of Nice ?

Ans.—Constantine,

A. D.

325.

What was one of the two principal de-

cisions rendered by that council?

Ans.—

That Easter should always and everywhere be

celebrated on Sunday.

Under what authority were its decrees

published?

Ans.—"The

decrees of these

synods were published under the imperial

authority, and thus obtained a political im-

portance."—Neander,

Vol.

II, p.

133.

Who was bishop of Rome during twen-

ty-one years and eleven months of Constan-

tine's reign ? Ans.—Sylvester, January 31,

314, to December 31, 335.

What did he do )it

Y his "apostolic

authority" shortly after the Council of Nice ?

Ans.—He

decreed that Sunday should' be

called the Lord's

day.—History of the Sab-

bath, p. 35o.

ro. What was commanded by the council

of Laodicea,

A. D.

363 or 364? Ans.—That

if Christians should rest on the Sabbath, " let

them be accursed from Christ ;" and that they

should rest on Sunday.

r. Did Constantine's Sunday law-apply to

all classes?

12.

Were other laws demanded by- the bish-

ops, which should be more general ?

Ans.—

By a law of the year 386, those older

changes effected by the Emperor Constantine

were more rigorously enforced, and, in general,

civil transactions of every kind on Sunday

were strictly forbidden. Whoever transgressed

was to be considered, in fact, as guilty of

sacrilege."—Neander,

Vol. II.,

p. 30o.

13.

What petition was made to the em-

peror by a church convention in

A. D. 401 ?

Ans.—"That

the public shows might be trans-

ferred from the Christian Sunday and from

feast days, to some other days of the week."

—Id.

14.

What was the object of all these State

laws ?

Ans.—`°

That the day might be de-

voted with less interruption to the purposes

of devotion." "That the devotion of the

faithful might be free from all disturbance."

—Id., pt. 297, 3o1.

15.

What was it that so much hindered the

devotion of the " faithful " of those times ?

Ans.—"

Owing to the prevailing passion at that

time, especially in the large cities, to run after

the various public shows, it so happened that

when these spectacles fell on the same days

which had been consecrated by the church to

some religious festival, they proved a great hin-

drance to the devotion of Christians, though

chiefly, it must be allowed, to those whose

Christianity was the least an affair of the life

and of the heart."—Id.,

p. 30o.

16.

How was their " devotion" disturbed?

Ans.—"

Church teachers . . . were, in

truth, often forced to complain, that

in such

competitions the theater was vastly more fre-

quented than the church."—Id.

17.

What does Neander say of all this?

Ans.—"

In this way, the church received help

from the State for the furtherance of her ends.

. . . But had it not been for that confu-



THE. THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

•

sion of spiritual and secular interests, had it

not been for the vast number of mere

out-

ward conversions

thus brought about, she

would have needed no- such help."—Id.,

ft.

301.

18.

When the church had received the help

of the State to this extent did she stop there?

Ans.—No,

she demanded that the civil power

should be exerted to compel men to serve

God as the church should dictate.

19.

Which of the fathers of the church

was father to this theory? Ans.—Augustine,

who lived from

A. D.

354 to 43o.

zo. What did he teach ?

Ans.--"

It is indeed

better that men should he brought to serve

God by instruction than by fear of punish-

ment or by pain. But because the former

means are better, the latter must not therefore

be neglected. . . . Many must often be

brought back to their Lord, like wicked serv-

ants, by the rod of temporal suffering, before

they attain to the highest grade of religious

development."—Schaff's

Church History, sec.

27;

Augustine Epistle 185 ad Bonifacium, sec.

21, 24.

21.

What does Neander say of this?

Ans.

—"It

was by Augustine, then, that a theory

was proposed and founded, which . . .

contained the germ of that whole system of

spiritual' despotism, of intolerance and perse-

cution, which ended in the tribunals of the

inquisition."—Church

Mister y, Vol. H, p.

217.

Thus was formed the union of Church and

State out of which grew the Papacy. Thus

was developed " the beast," which made -war

with the saints of God, and wore out the

saints of the Most High.

T4ESSUN VIII.

August 25, z888.

THE MAKING OF THE IMAGE OF THE

BEAST.

I. WHAT

Government have we proved to

be represented by the second beast of Rev.

x3?

What power is to be exercised by this

beast? Verse

12,

first clause.

For what purpose does he use this

power? Remainder of the same verse.

What is said by him to them that dwell

on the earth ? Verse 14, last part.

What power is represented by-the first

beast?

Ans.—The

Papacy.

What have we found to be the great

characteristic of the Papacy? Ans.—The

union of Church and State—the Church using

the power of the State for the furtherance of

its own aims.

For what then are we to look in this nation?

Ans.—For the religious power to exalt it-

self to that place where it shall dominate the

civil, and employ the power of the State for

the furtherance of its own ends.

Is there any effort even now being made

in this direction?

Ans.—Yes,

a large and in-

fluential organization is working to this very

end.

What is this organization called?

Ans.

—The National Reform Association.

so. What, according to their own words, is

the object of the association?

Ans.—"

secure such an amendment to the Constitution

of the United States as shall suitably express

our national acknowledgment of Almighty

God as the source of all authority in civil

government; of the Lord Jesus Christ as the

Ruler of nations; and of his revealed will as•

of supreme authority; and thus indicate that

this is a Christian nation, and place all the

Christian laws, institutions, and usages of the

Government on an undeniable legal Lasis in

the fundamental law of the.land."

r. Of what does the organization consist

in itself?

Ans.—Of

a president, the names of

about one hundred and twenty vice-presi-

dents, a recording secretary, a correspond-

ing secretary, a treasurer, seven district

secretaries (at present), and the Reformed

Presbyterian Church as a body.

12.

Who are some of the prominent men

actively engaged in favor of it? Ans.—Joseph

Cook, Herrick Johnson, D. D.; Julius H.

Seelye, president of Amherst College; Bishop

Huntington, of New York; Hon. Wm. Strong,

ex-justice of the United States Supreme

Court, and many others.

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.



13.

Of what other important bodies has it

gained the support? Ans.—The " principal "

churches, the National Woman's Christian

Temperance Union, and the Prohibition

party in many States.

14.

What was the prevailing theory of the

church 'leaders in the time of Constantine?

Ans.—"

The theocratical theory."

15.

What is the theory of the National Re-

formers ?

Ans.—"

Every government by

equitable laws, is a government of God ; a re-

public thus gol/erned is of him, and is as truly

and really a theocracy as the commonwealth

Israel."—Cincinnati National Reform Con-

vention, p. 28. "

A true theocracy is yet to

come, [and] the enthronement of Christ in

law and law-makers, hence I pray devotedly

as a Christian patriot, for the ballot in the

hands of

women."—Monthly Reading, W

16.

What had the church leaders deter-

mined to do in the days of Constantine?

Ans.

—" To make use of the power of the State for

the furtherance of their own aims."

17.

What have these in our day determined

to do? Ans.—The same thing.

18.

What came of that in the fourth cent-

ury ?

Ans.—The

Papacy.



•

19.

What will come of this in .the nine-

teenth century?

Ans.—The

image of the

Papacy.

20.

Of what other bodies is the National

Reform Association diligently working to se-

cure the support?

Ans.—The

workingmen

and the Catholic Church.

21.

What does this association say of the

Catholic Church?

Ans.--"We

cordially, gladly,

recognize the fact that in the South American

republics, and in France and other European

countries, the Roman Catholics are the rec-

ognized advocates of national Christianity,

and stand opposed to all the proposals of

secularism. . . .

Whenever' they are will-

ing to co-operate in resisting the progress of

political atheism, we will gladly join hands

with them.

In a World's Conference for the

promotion of National Christianity—which

ou.ght to be held at no distant day—many

wuntries could be represented only by Roman

Catholics."—Christian Statesman, December

II, 1884.

22.

What are all Catholics commanded by

the Pope to do?

Ans.—"All

Catholics should

do all in their power to cause the constitutions

of States and legislation to be modeled on the

principles of the true church; and all Catho-

lic writers and journalists should never lose

sight, for an instant, from the view of the

above prescription."—Encyclical

of Pope Leo

XIII., 1885.

23.

Then is not the National Reform As-

sociation aiming to form a government mod-

eled after the principles of the Papacy?

24.

Then, if professed Protestants under

the leadership of the National Reform Asso-

ciation succeed in this, what will there be

erected in this Government?

Ans.—An

image of the Papacy.

LESSON

September I, 1888.

THE MAKING OF' THE IMAGE OF THE

BEAST—Concluded.

the influence of the Protestant

churches, the Prohibition party, the W. C. T.

U., the Workingmen, and the Catholic

Church, were heartily united in favor of one

measure, could not that measure be carried,

whatever it might be ?

Is there now any question upon which

all these are united in sentiment, and upon

which they are fast uniting in action?

Ans.—

There is.

What is it ? Ans.—The enforcement of

Sunday-keeping by the State.

4.• Who are the sole leaders in this move-

ment?

Ans.—The

leaders in the churches.

To what extent are they working it?

Ans.—They are "working" and lobbying al-

most every State Legislature in the Union,

and the National Legislature also.

What do they ask the State to do?

Ans.—To stop all Sunday trains, abolish all

Sunday papers, and stop all manner of work

on Sunday.

For what?

Ans.--So

that their "de-

votion may not be hindered."

What is there about the Sunday train



THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

that hinders the devotion of the church-mem-

bers?

Ans.—"

They get a great many passen-

gers, and so break up a great many congrega-

tions."—Elgin, Ill.,

Sunday-law Convention,

November, 1887.

(t) "This railroad [the

Chicago and Rock Island] has been running

excursion trains from Des Moines to Colfax

Springs on the Sabbath for some time, and

ministers complain

that their members go on

these excursions. . . . We need a Sab-

bath [Sunday] law that will bind the govern-

ment and the corporation as well as the indi-

vidual."—M.

A. vault, in Christian States-

man, September 25, 1884.

9. What is there about the Sunday news-

paper that hinders their devotion ?

Ans.—

"The

laboring classes are apt to arise late on

Sunday morning, read the Sunday papers,

and

allow the hour of worship to go by unheeded."

—Elgin Convention.

lo.

What was it that hindered the devotion

of the church-members in the fourth century?

Ans.—Sunday games and theaters.

1. How? Ans.—They got a great many

spectators "and so broke up a great many con-

gregations;" the church-members would go

to the games and theaters, and would "let the

hour of worship go by unheeded," and so

their devotion was " greatly hindered."

12.

Who were they whose devotion was

thus especially disturbed ?

Ans

—Those

"whose Christianity was the least an affair of

the life and of the heart."

13.

What then did they do?

Ans.—As

they had not enough conscience, nor love of

right, to do what they considered to be right,

they demanded that the State should take

away from them all opportunity to do that

which they deemed to be wrong.

14.

How is the matter worked now?

Ans.

—The same way precisely.

15.

Was the Papacy content with State

laws stopping games and closing theaters?

Ans.—No,

all manner of work must be

stopped.

16.

Will the image of the Papacy be con-

tent with laws stopping Sunday trains, and

abolishing Sunday newspapers ?

Ans.—"

Let a

man be what he may—Jew, seventh-day ob-

server of some other denomination, or those

who do not believe in the Christian Sabbath—

let the law apply to everyone, that there shall

be no public desecration of the first day of the

week, the Christian Sabbath, the day of rest

for the nation. They may hold any other

day of the week as sacred, and observe it;

but that day which is the one day in seven for

the-nation at large, let that not be publicly

desecrated by anyone, by officer in the Gov-

ernment, or by private citizen, high or low,

rich or poor."—Dr.

McAllister, editor Chris-

tian „Statesman.

17.

Why do they want to compel all people

to keep Sunday?

Ans.—Because

"he who

does not keep the Sabbath [Sunday] does not

worship

God."—Elgin Convention.

18.

Then what is the purpose of all their

Sunday laws?

Ans.—To

compel all men to

worship.

19.

What is it

in reality

that they will com-

pel men, by this means, to worship? Rev.

13:12.

20.

What grew out of the Sunday-law

movement in the fourth century?

Ans.

—The beast.

21.

What will just as surely grow out of

this Sunday-law movement in our day?

Ans.

—The image of the beast.

22‘. What did the beast do?

Ans.—He

made war with the saints. Rev. 13 : 7 ; Dan.

7 : 21

25.

23.

What will the image of the beast do?

Rev. 13: 16, 17.

"Resolved,

That we give our patronage to such

business men, manufacturers, and laborers as observe

the Sabbath [Sunday]."—Elgin

Sunday-law Con-

vention.

24.

What further will the image of the

beast endeavor to do? Rev. 13 : 15.

25.

Is it in the minds of these National Re-

formers to do. this?

At the Lakeside National Reform Con-

vention, 1887, a certain. person said of the

enforcement of Sunday-laws, " There is a law

in the State of Arkansas enforcing Sunday

observance upon the people, and the result

has been that many good persons have not

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

only been imprisoned, but have lost their

property and even their lives."

And Dr. McAllister replied : " It is better

that a few should suffer than that the whole

nation should lose its Sabbath."

26.

Under what plea did the chief priests

and Pharisees justify themselves in killing the

Saviour?

Ans.—"

It is expedient for us, that

one man should die for the people, and that

the whole nation perish not." "Then

from that day forth they took counsel to-

gether for to put him to death." John II :

, 53.

27.

Will these in our day accomplish their

purpose upon those who refuse to worship

the beast and his image? Rev. 15 : 2.

NOTE.

In the

Christian Nation,

December 14,

1887, Rev. W. T. McConnell, a representative

National Reformer, published an " open

letter" to the

American Sentinel, in

which

he said:—

" You look for trouble in this land in the

future, if these principles are applied. I

think it will come to you if you maintain

your present position. The foolhardy fellow

who persists in standing on a railroad track

may well anticipate trouble when he hears

the rumble of the coming train. If he

shall read the signs of the times in the scream-

ing whistle and flaming head-light, he may

change his position and avoid the danger,

but if he won't be influenced by these, his

most gloomy forebodings of trouble wilt be

realized when the express strikes him. So

you, neighbor, if, through prejudice or the

enmity of unregenerate hearts, you have de-

termined to oppose the progress of this

nation in fulfilling its vocation as an instru-

ment in the divine work of .regenerating

human society, may rightly expect trouble.

It will be sure to come to you."

LESSON X.

September 8,1888.

THE PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH

THE NESSAGrE.

I. WHAT warning does the Lord send to

the world, against the worship of the beast

and his image? Rev. 14 : 9-11.

2. How widely was the first message of

this chapter announced? Verse 6.

What is said of the second?

Ans.—

It followed.

Verse 8.

And what is said of the third?

Ans.

—The third angel

followed them.

Verse 9.

If, then, the first one went to every

nation and kindred and tongue and people,

and the third one follows, what must be the

extent to which the Third Angel's Message

will go?

What does the first angel have to

preach ? Verse 6.

What does this angel proclaim?

Ans.—

The hour of God's judgment is come. Verse

What does he call upon all people to

do?

Ans.—"

Worship him that made heaven,

and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of

waters."

What results from the rejection of this

message? Verse 8.

Ica. What came of the first falling away

from the everlasting gospel?

Ans.—"

That

man of sin," " the mystery of iniquity," " the

beast."

Thess. 2: 2-8; Dan. 7 : ri; Rev.

19 : 19,

20.

1. What comes of this second falling

away from the everlasting gospel?

Ans.—

The image of the beast," and the enforced

worship of the beast.

12.

When men refuse to worship him that

made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the

fountains of water, what are they led to do?

Ans.—To

worship the beast and his image.

Rev. 13: 12, 13.

13.

What then do the three messages of

Rev. 14 : 6-12 form? Ans.—One threefold

message rather than three distinct messages.

See note.

14.

When the first in order tells men that

the hour of God's judgment is come, what

does the third tell them to do, to be prepared

for the judgment? Verse 12.

15.

What is to be the rule in the judg-

ment? Rom. 2:12, 16.

16.

When the first angel calls upon all

men to worship Him that made heaven and

earth, etc., what does the third tell them to

do that their worship may be acceptable to



THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

Him? and also that they may avoid the wor-

ship of the beast and his image? Rev. 14:

12.

17.

Is a man's worship acceptable to God,

if he does not keep the commandments of

God? Pros'. 28 : 9.

18.

Is it possible to keep the command-

ments of God without faith in Jesus? Rom.

: 23, last part.

19.

Is there any part of the command-

ments of God that points specially to Him

that made heaven and earth? Ex. zo : 8-11.

20.

Therefore in the time of the preaching

of the Third Angel's Message, what will be

done?

Ans.—Every

nation, and kindred, and

. tongue, and people will be called upon par-

ticularly to keep the fourth commandment.

21.

What day is the Sabbath of the Lord?

Ex. 20 : 10.

22.

Of what is it a sign?

Ans—"

A sign

. . . that ye may know that I am the

Lord your God." Eze. 20: 20.

23.

Why is it such a sign?

tins.—"

For

[because] in six days the Lord made heaven

and earth, and on the seventh day he rested,

and was refreshed." Ex. 31 : 17.

24.

Then of what is the keeping of the

seventh day a sign?

Ans.—It

is a sign that

those who do so, worship the true God—

" him that made heaven, and earth, and the

sea, and the fountains of waters."

25.

What is the one great question under

the Third Angel's Message? Ans.--Whether

men will worship Him that made heaven and

earth, or worship the beast and his image?

26.

What is the keeping of the seventh

day—the Sabbath of the Lord ?

Ans.—It

the God-given sign that those who do so are

worshipers of Him that made heaven and

earth.

27.

Therefore what is the inevitable con-

clusion ?

Ans.—That

the keeping of the Sab-

bath of the Lord—the seventh day—is the

one point above every other that distinguishes

the worshipers of Him that made heaven and

earth from the worshipers of the beast and his

image.

NOTES.

The word rendered " followed," in Rev.

: 8, 9, is

akoloutheo,

which means, in

constructions like that in this text, "to go

with." Liddell and Scott render the word

thus: " To

one,

go after

with

him."

Robinson says: "

To follow, to go with, to

accompany

anyone." It is the same word

that is used in Mark 5: 24: " And Jesus went

with him; and much people followed him,

and thronged him." It is also used of the

redeemed one hundred and forty-four thou-

sand, where it is said: "These are they which

follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."

Rev. 14:4. In both these places it is evident

that the idea intended to be conveyed is that

of going together, in company with. So in

Cor. o: 4, where we read of the children

of Israel that " they drank of that spiritual

Rock that followed them," the word "followed"

is translated from the same Greek word, and

the margin has it, " went with them." From

this we learn that the idea in Rev. 14:8, 9.

is not simply that the second and third angels

followed the first in point of time, but that

they went with it. Therefore the second and

third messages must necessarily be as wide-

spread as the first. As a matter of fact, they

are now inseparable; it is impossible properly

to preach one without preaching the other two.

QUESTION 13.—It is the rejection of the

first message that causes the falling away

referred to in the second message. From

this falling away the image of the beast and

his worship are developed. And the third

message warns against the worship of the

beast and his image. From this it is evident

that these three messages are inseparably con-

nected, and form one threefold message.

AGAIN: The first message calls upon all

men to "worship Him that made heaven and

earth," etc. Those who refuse to do this are

led to worship the beast and his image. The

third angel follows, warning against the wor-

ship of the beast and his image; and calls

upon all men to keep the commandments of

God and the faith of Jesus. The fourth

commandment points directly to the worship

of Him who made heaven and earth; and

this is the very thing which the first message

calls upon men to do. Therefore it is cer-

tain that these three messages are but one

threefold message. They are

three

only in

the order of their rise. But having risen,

they go on together and are inseparable.

TILE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

1_,USS(31.NT

September 15,

888.

THE MARK OF THE BEAST.

I. WHO

will be required to worship the

beast and his image, and to receive his mark?

Rev. 13:12, 15-17.

In opposition to this what does the

Third Angel's Message say? Rev. 14 :9, 10..

What are those led to do, who heed

the voice of this message?. Rev. 14: 12.

What does this show? Ans.—That the

powers spoken of in Rev. 13:12-17 will put

forth all their strength to compel men to do

something that is contrary to the command-

ments of God.

What have we found was the principal

object of the Papacy, in the fourth century?

and what is the purpose of the Protestantism

of to-day?

Ans.

--To use the power of the

State to compel all people to keep Sunday as

the Lord's day, or Christian Sabbath.

Of what day is Christ the Lord? Mark

2 : 28.

What day is the Sabbath? EX. 20 : 1o.

Then what day is the Lord's day?,

What does the Lord call the seventh

day ? Ex. 20 : TO; Isa. 58 : 13.

10.

Is there any commandment of God

for keeping Sunday?

Ans.—None

whatever.

r. What testimonies can you give on this

point from eminent first-day authorities?

Ans.

—The $5oo prize-essay of the American

Tract Society acknowledges the "complete

silence of the New Testament so far as any

explicit command for the Sabbath [Sunday,

the first day of the week] or definite rules for

its observance are concerned."—Abiding

Sabbath, p. 14.

And the $i,000 prize-essay

of the American Sunday-school Union says:

" Up to the time of Christ's death, no change

had been made in the day." And, " so far

as the record shows, they [the apostles] did

not, however, give any explicit command en-

joining the abandonment of the seventh-day

Sabbath, and its observance on the first day

of the

week:"—Lord's Day, pp. .186-.r88.

Note.

12.

What was the single link that in the

fourth century united Church and State, which,

developed the beast ? Ans.—The Sunday in-

stitution.

13.

What is the single point in a similar-

movement in our day which develops only

an image to the beast ? Ans.—The Sunday

institution.

14.

What does the Papacy set forth as the-

sign of its authority to command men under

penalty of sin for disobedience?

Ans.—"

The

very act of changing Sabbath into Sunday,,

which Protestants allow of. . . . Be-

cause by keeping Sunday strictly they

acknowledge the church's power to ordain

feasts, and to command them under sin."—

Catechism of the Catholic Christian Instructed..

15.

Then what is the mark of the beast?

16.

To whom do those pay homage who

keep Sunday?

Ans.—"The

keeping of Sun-

day is an homage they pay, in' spite of them-

selves, to the Catholic Church."—Plain

Talk

about Protestantism.

17.

Then when Protestant churches at-

tempt to compel people by law to keep Sun-

day, what is that only to do ?

Ans.—It

is,

only to compel men to worship the Papacy

—to worship the beast.

18.

But, as in the very act of doing this

these churches make an image to the beast,

what then will be the enforced observance of

Sunday in this nation ?

Ans.—It

will be the

worship of the beast and his image.

19.

But may not Sunday-keeping be en-

forced •as a

civil

duty ?

Ans.—Never.

Be-

cause Sunday is wholly a religious institution;

and the civil power has no right to enforce

religious duties.

do..

20.

What does Christ demand on this sub-

ject?-Matt. 22:

21.

By what power was Sunday-keeping

instituted?

Ans.—The

church.

22.

Why were the ancient Sunday laws

enacted?

Ans.—The

church demanded it,

and it was done to satisfy and help the:

church.

23.

Why are Sunday laws now enacted?

Ans.—For the same reasons precisely.

24.

Is the church Caesar?

Ans.—No.

25.

Is the church God ?



• THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

26. Then what follows? Ans.-That as

Sunday-keeping belongs neither to Caesar nor

to God, there is nb power in existence that

can, of right, command it.

NOTE.

QUESTION I r.-The student is at liberty

to present any other testimonies on this point

that he may choose

LES

SON

September 22, .18.98.

THE LAST MESSAGE OF MERCY.

How great will be the pressure to

compel all to keep Sunday in this nation ?

Rev. 13 : 15-17.

But what says the word of God against

it? Rev. 24 : 9, to.

In what form is it said this wine will be

poured out ?

Ans.-"

Without mixture."

Is there a cup

now

in the hand of the

Lord from which he pours out? Ps. 75 :8.

What is said of this cup ?

Ans.-"

is full of mixture."

While it is thus full of mixture, what is

it to those who accept GJd's mercy ? Ps.

116: 13.

After salvation has been poured out of

this cup, what time is referred to when the

wine is " poured out

without

mixture "?

Ans.-The

time when there will be no salva-

tion for sinners.

If men will not drink of the cup of sal-

vation, of what will they be compelled to

drink? Jer. 25 :15,28; Ps. 75:8, last part.

What is this wine of the wrath of God?

Rev. 15:I,7.

ro. What are these seven plagues called?

Ans.-The

seven

last

plagues.

1. Will there be any service in the

heavenly temple while these plagues are be-

ing poured out? Rev. 15:8.

12.

What does this show? Ans.-That

then there will be no intercessor, and no

salvation foF sinners.

13.

Who will suffer these plagues ? Rev.

14:9,2o.

14.

How extensive will be the worship of

the beast? Rev. 13:8.



•

15.

What does God do to try to save men

from this awful doom?

Ans.-He

sends

them the Third Angel's Message.

16.

Then what does this show the Third

Angel's Message to be? Ans.-The last

message of mercy to the world.

17.

What follows close upon it? Rev: 14:

18.

What is said to him, and what is done

by him, who sits upon the cloud ? Verses

15,16.

19.0 What is the harvest? Matt. 13 : 39.

zo. Then what follows close upon the

Third Angel's Message ?

21.

Then what again does this show this

message to be ? Ans.-The last message of

mercy to the world.

22.

Then is not this message the most im-

portant thing in the world ?

LESSON

September 29, 1888.

THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES.

WHEN the Third Angel's Message shall

have done its work, what voice will then be

heard from the heavenly temple ? Rev.

16 : r.

In addition to all these plagues, what

awful famine will be upon men ? Amos 8:

II, 12.

What will be the first plague ? and upon

whom will it fall? Rev. 16: 2.

What will be the second plague ?

Verse 3.

What will be the third plague ?

Verse 4.

Why will the rivers and fountains of

water be turned to blood ? Verse 6.

What will be the fourth plague ? Verses

8,9.

What will be the further effect of this ?

Joel I : 18-2o.

What will be the fifth plague? Rev.

16 : I0.

ro. Will those who love the truth of God

be afraid in this time of darkness and dread?

Ps. 91:5-8.

II. What will be the sixth plague ? Rev.

16: 12.

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.



12.

Does this refer to the literal river

Eupheates, or to the nation that dwells in the

country of the Euphrates ?

Ans.-The

nation. Note.

13.

What then does the drying up of the

river mean ? Ans.-Evidently the wiping

out of the Turkish power,-the nation that

now rules the Euphrates country.

24. What did the prophet see at this same

time ? Verse 13.

15.

What are these spirits? Verse 14,

first part.

16.

What do they go forth to do ? Last

part of the same verse, with Rev. 29 : I I, 15,

19.

17.

When the seventh angel pours out his

vial what is heard ? Rev. 16 : 17.

18.

What is this voice? Jer. 25 : 3o.

19.

What will then happen to heaven and

earth ? Hag. 2 :

21, 22;

Heb. 12 : 26; Rev.

16 : 18,

20.

What then falls upon men? Rev. r6:

21.

21. What will the people of God do in

this fearful time? Joel 3 : 16; Isa. 25 :

22.

Will any of these plagues afflict them?

Ps. 91 : 9, to.

23.

What will assure to all this perfect

safety? Ans.-The love of the truth of the

Third Angel's Message.



Ps. 91:4; Zeph.

24.

Then is not that message the most

precious boon this world can know?

NOTE.

- QUESTION

12.-It

is not possible that it

should refer to the literal river, because

never in all history have the waters of the

literal river Euphrates been a hindrance to

any kings either of the East or of the West.

A thousand years before Christ, the kings of

Assyria crossed it regularly every spring-at

the very time when the waters were the high-

est-in their campaigns. In the year 269

A. D.,

Tiridates, king of Armenia, swam it

with his armor

on.-Gibbon, chap. r3, par.

21.

The view that the reference is to the

power that rules the country of the Euphra-

tes, and not to the literal river, is strengthened

by the fact that Isaiah in speaking of the

king of Assyria and his armies plainly calls

them, " The waters of the river." " Now

therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon

them [the people of Judah] the waters of

the river, strong and many, even the king of

Assyria, and all his glory; and he shall come

up over all his channels, and go over all his

banks." Isa., 8 : 7.

ir__A.:SSCON

October 6, 1888.

THE WRATH OF THE DRAGON.

I. JUST

after what notable working will

the Saviour come ? 2 Thess.

2 : 9, 10.

How great will be these signs and

wonders ? Matt. 24 : 24.

Why is it they deceive them that per-

ish ?

Thess. 2 : to, last part.

What special manifestation of the

truth have we found that there will be just

before the coming of the Lord ? Rev.

14:9,

Are the commandments of God and

the faith of Jesus the truth? Ps. 119 : 151;

John 14:6.

Are the commandments



God and

the faith of Jesus

righteousness?

Ps. 219 : 172;

Gal. 5 :5, 6.

What is the object of Satan's deceiv-

ing, lying miracles and wonders ? Rev.

13 : 14.

What is the object of the Third Angel's

Message.

Ans.-To

save men from the wor-

ship of the beast and his image.

Then with what will be Satan's last

conflict before the coming of the Lord ?

Ans.

-With the Third Angel's Message and with

those who receive the love of it.

to. What does this message lead men to

do ? Rev. 14 : 12.

it. In what manner does the second beast

of Rev. 13 speak ? Verse II.

12.

What power, and seat, and authority,

has the first beast? Verse 2.

13.

What is the great dragon above all ?

Rev.

12 :

14.

What then is the source of the dragon

spirit?

15.

Through what power did he manifest

his wrath when the Saviour was on the earth ?

Ans.-Pagan

Rome. Verses 4, 5; Matt.

2:1, 2, 8, 16; John 18: 31; 19:22, 15, 16.



THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

16.

Through what power did he manifest

his wrath in the Dark Ages ? Ans.-The

beast. Rev. 13 : 2, 5-7 ; 12 : 14

16 ; Dan.

: 33, 34 ; Matt. 24 : 21, 22.

17.

Through what power will his wrath be

poured out against the last of the church ?

Ans.-The image of the beast, in association

with the beast. Rev. 13 : 12, 14.

18.

What will specially excite his wrath

against the poor remnant in this last effort ?

Rev. 12 : 17.

19.

What will the Third Angel's Message

do just at this time ?

Ans.-It

will go to

every nation, and people, urging them to keep

the commandments of God and the faith of

Jesus.

20.

What is it then that will cause the devil

to be so particularly wrathful, and to put

forth

all

his power ?

Ans.-The

Third

Angel's Message.

21.

Which side will get the victory? Rev.

: 2.

-4

....:SSCINT x v.

October r3, 1888.

THE WORKING OF SATAN.

I. WHAT

will be said to the people just

before the Lord comes? Isa. 8: 19, with

verse 17.

What is the object of their seeking unto

them that have familiar spirits?

Ans.-To

obtain communication with the dead. Verse

[9, last part.

What is that doctrine called?

Ans.-

Spiritualism.

Do the dead know anything ? Eccl.

g : 5, 6.

What are the familiar spirits which

these persons have, and with which men are

invited to communicate? Rev. 16 : 14.

What have we found to be one great

object of these miracles and lying wonders ?

Rev. 13 : 14.

What does this prove ? Ans.-That

Spiritualism will act a most important part in

making the image to the beast, and enforcing

the worship of the beast and his image.

8._ When the National Reformers secure

'their National Constitutional acknowledgment,

what do they expect?

Ans.-"

Let us ac-

knowledge God as our Father and Sovereign,

and Source of all good, and his bles

sing will

be upon us. Crime and corruption will come

to an end, and the benign reign of Jesus, our

rightful Lord, will be established." " Either

like them [the Jews] we will reject him and

perish, or, becoming a kingdom of our Lord

and his Christ, we shall fill the earth and en-

dure forever." "And when we reach the

summit . . . the train will move out

into the mild yet glorious light of millennial

days, and the cry will be raised, ' The king-

doms of this world have become the king-

doms of our Lord and his Christ."-New

York National Reform Convention, 1873, pp.

75, 47.

9. When they shall have set up what they

call his kingdom, what then do they expect ?

Ans.-"

When we finish our testimony,

then

Christ will come and finish his work."-Secre-

tary J. M. Foster, in Reformed Presbyterian

and Covenanter, December, 1887, p. 403.

to. By whom will there be great signs and

wonders wrought to deceive? Matt. 24 : 24.

11. Who will finally manifest, and work

with, all power? 2 Thess. 2 : 8.

•

12. As these great wonders are to be

wrought by false christs, and as Satan is to

work the greatest of them, then in what form

will Satan present himself in this?

Ans.-

In the form of a false christ.

13.

When the National Reform kingdom

shall have been formed, and Satan, by this

great wonder-working power, shall be trails-

formed into an angel of light, and thus shall

come personating Christ, tben what will be

the universal shout?

Ans.-"

Christ

has

come;" "The kingdoms of this world

have

become the kingdoms of our Lord and his

Christ."

14.

Then who will be the king of the Na-

tional Reform Government?

15.

Is Spiritualism expecting such a new

messiah? Ans.-Spiritualism promises a new

messiah, and announces his coming "to this

very generation." , The

World's Advance

Thought

is the

avant-courier

of the new spirit-

ual dispensation, and in its issue of April 5,

1886, says:-

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.



"Another sun of righteousness is called for

on earth, and the messenger cannot be far

off whose life mission it shall be to practically

illustrate the new truths that will be vouch-

safed. He will not be a mere rajiligal messiah,

nor a half-world messiah, as was the great

Nazarene; but steam locomotion and light-

ning communication, and the harmonizing

influences of commercial intercourse, have

made a whole-world messiah possible, and

such the next one shall be. Though them-

selves ignorant of the fact, as a body, the

great and multiplying army of mediums are

his

avant-couriers." "

The unanimity of the

immortals' answers may thrill the world with

the promise of a new messiah."

16.

What says infidelity?

Ans.—"

Now I

think I can safely say that if the National

Reform movement succeeds, and God will

sign and seal his edicts, so that there can be

no doubts about their authority, the disbe-

lievers will cheerfully obey them, and if Jesus

will come and sit visibly on the throne, where

we can see and talk to him, there will be no

unbelievers, and all will obey."—P.

F. Shu-

maker, Flat Creek, La.,

in a letter to the

editor of the

American Sentinel, Sept. 17,1887.

17.

What says the National W. C. T. U.?

Ans.—"The Woman's Christian Temperance

Union, local, State, national and world-wide,

has one vital, organic thought, one all-absorb-

ing purpose, one undying enthusiasm, and it

is that

Christ shall be

this world's king. Yes,

verily, this world's king in its realm of cause

and effect; king of its courts, its camps, its

commerce; king of its colleges and clois-

ters; king of its customs and its constitu-

tions."—

Union Signal, December 1, 1887,

p. 2.

18.

Taking all these with the other differ-

ent bodies that now favor the National Re-

form movement, and how general will be the

acceptance of the king of the National Re-

form government?

19.

What have we found is given to save

men from this terrible deception?

zo. Then who alone will refuse to acknowl-

edge the National Reform king?

Ans.—

Those who receive the love of the truth of

the Third Angel's Message.

LESSC)N XATE.

October zo, z888.

THE FINAL CONTEST AND THE

VICTORY.

WHO will be the National Reform king?

Who alone will refuse to acknowledge

him as Christ ?

What do the National Reformers say

will be done with all such ?

Ans.—"

The

day is coming when all professed Christians

who deny the kingship of Christ over the

nations, together with their infidel confeder-

ates, will, at Christ's command, be slain before

his face, because they will not have him to

reign over

them."—Secretary

M. A. Gault,

in Christian Statesman, January 14, z886.

What did the prophecy say they would

do?



Rev. •13 : 15.

What then will those be doing? Rev.

14:12.

What then will be the work of the

great false christ? Mark 13 : 22.

What have we found to be the one

part of the commandments of God, above all

others, that distinguishes those who obey the

Third Angel's Message? Ans.—The keep-

ing of the Sabbath of the Lord.

What will be done by the great false

christ to seduce them from this?

Ans.—

In his assumed character of Christ, he

claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sun-

day, and commands all to hallow the day

which he has blessed."—Great

Controversy,

Vol. 4

P. 44

9..What crowning wonder will be wrought

to confirm this? Rev. 13 : 13.

Io. What answer may be made by all?

Ans.—The seventh day is the Sabbath, even

though heaven itself comes down. Matt.

4:35; Luke 16:17.

r. When they yet refuse to receive the

mark of the beast and to worship his image,

what then will be done?

Ans.—"

A decree

will finally be issued denouncing them as de-

serving of the severest punishment, and giving

the people liberty, after a certain time, to put

them to death."—Id.,

p. ¢45.

12. Are any put to death when the time

expires?

Ans.—No.

See note.



THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

13.

Where are they next seen? Rev. 15 :2.

14.

What song do they sing? Verse 3.

15.

Can anybody else learn that song?

Rev. 14 : 3.

16.

What was the song of Moses?

Ans.—

The song of victory that they sang when God

gave deliverance from Pharaoh's oppression.

17.

What then will be the song of these?

Ans.—The

song of their deliverance.

18.

Deliverance from what?

Ans.—From

Satan's oppression through the power of the

beast and his image.

19.

What was one main cause of Pharaoh's

oppressing Israel?

Ans.—The

keeping of

the Sabbath. Ex. 5 :5.

zo. What will be the cause of the wrath of

Satan and the tyranny of the beast and his

image, upon those who obey the Third An-

gel's Message?

Ans.—The

keeping of the

Sabbath.

21.

Then why is it that only these will be

able to sing the song of Moses?

Ans.—Be-

cause

only these, of all the world, will have

been delivered from such bittei oppression.

22.

What will these have received that

they might be saved?

Ans.—"

The love of

the truth."

23.

What will be their shield in the time of

the seven last plagues? Ps. 91 : 4.

24.

When they approach the glittering

gates of the glorious city of God, what will

be said? Isa. 26 : 2.

25.

What else is a part of their song?

Rev. 15 : 3, last part.

26.

As none others can learn this song,

what would this show ?

Ans.—That

these

are counted worthy to receive such views of

the works and the justice of God, as none

others can.

27.

How do they obtain these views?

Rev.



: 4, last part.

28.

Where and with whom shall they

dwell? Rev. 7: 15-17.

NOTE.

QUESTION 11.-" As the time appointed

in the decree against God's people comes,

the inhabitants of the earth unite to destroy

the disturbers of their peace. In one night

they determine to strike the decisive blow

that shall forever silence the voice of the

reprover. The waiting ones, in their solitary

retreats, are still pleading for divine protec-

tion.



In every quarter, companies of armed

men, urged on by hosts of evil angels, are

preparing for the work of death. With

shouts of triumph, with jeers and impreca-

tions, they are about to rush upon their prey.

" But lo, a dense blackness, deeper than

the darkness of the night, falls upon the

earth. Then a rainbow, shining with the

glory from the throne of God, spans the

heavens, and seems to encircle each praying

company. The angry multitudes are sud-

denly arrested.



Their mocking cries die

away. The objects of their murderous rage

are forgotten. With fearful forebodings they

gaze upon the symbol of God's covenant,

and long to be shielded from its overpower-

ing brightness. .



" The wicked look with terror,and amaze-

ment upon the scene, while the righteous be-

hold with solemn joy the tokens of their

deliverance.



Everything in nature seems

turned out of its course. The streams cease

to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up, and

clash against each other. In the midst of

the angry heavens is one clear space of inde-

scribable glory, whence comes the voice of

God like the sound of many waters, saying,

' It is done.'

"That voice shakes the heavens and the

earth. There is a mighty earthquake. The

firmament appears to open and shut. 'The

glory from the throne of God seems flashing

through. The mountains shake like a reed

in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered

on every side. There is a roar as of a com-

ing tempest. The sea is lashed into fury.

There is heard the shriek of the hurricane,

like the voice of demons upon a mission of

destruction. The whole earth heaves and

swells like the waves of the sea. Its surface

is breaking up. Its very foundations seem

to be giving way. Mountain chains are

sinking. Inhabited islands disappear with

their living freight. The seaports that have

become like Sodom for wickedness are swal-

lowed up by the angry waters. Great hail-

stones, every one 'about the weight of a

talent,' are doing their work of destruction.

The proudest cities of the earth are laid low.

The costly palaces, upon which the world's

great men have lavished their wealth in order

to glorify themselves, are crumbling to ruin

before their eyes.



Prison walls are rent

asunder, and God's people, who have been

held in bondage for their faith, are set free."

—Great Controversy, Vol. 4, chap. 35.

SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

I_A

USSCIINT

October 27, 1888.

2 PETER 1:1-4.

To whom did Peter address his second

epistle ? Verse 1.

How is this "precious faith" obtained ?

B.,

last part.

What invocation did the apostle make

in behalf of those whom he addressed?

Verse 2.

What does grace do for those who ac-

cept it? Heb. 4: 16; 2 Cor. 12 :9; Titus

2: II.

Who alone have peace? Rom. 5 : 1 ;

Isa. 48 : 18; 57 :20, 21.

Then to what, in effect, is Peter's invo-

cation in verse 2 equivalent? Phil. r :9-I I.

How are this grace and peace to be

obtained ? 2 Peter r : 2.

How much of that which is needful to

the acquirement of life and godliness has

God given to us ? Verse 3.

How much does the apostle Paul say

that God will do for us ? Eph. 3 : 20.

o. How is

this aid brought to. us? 2

Peter I : 3, last part.

Ir. What else is given by his divine power?

Verse 4, first part.

22. What may we gain by these "exceed-

ing great and precious promises "?

13.

What must we escape, in order to be

made partakers of the divine nature?

14.

Mention the greatest of these exceed-

ing great and precious promises ? 2 Cor.

6 : 17, 18.

15.

What does Paul say that we should do,

in view of these promises ? 2 Cor. 7 :

16.

Having become sons of God, what

other promise necessarily follows ? Rom.

8 : 16, 17 ; I John 3 : 2.

17.

What must follow if a man really has

this hope in him? r John 3 : 3.

18.

What is " the corruption that is in the

world through lust " ? I John 2 : 15, 16;

Matt. 15 : 19, 20.

19.

Then what change must take place to

constitute one a "partaker of the divine

nature," a son of God ? Ps. 51 : 1 o; Eze.

36 :26, 27.

20.

What encouragement may we gain

from a contemplation of the glory of God,

which he will bestow upon his children ?

Eph. 3 : 16.

21.

Then how greatly may grace and peace

be multiplied to us " through the knowledge

of God and of Jesus our Lord " ? Verses

16-19.

NOTES.

THE marginal rendering of verse I, the

rendering given in the Revised Version, more

nearly conforms to the Greek than does the

text. While we may riot use a marginal

rendering as the basis of any doctrine, the

absolute .divinity of Christ is so well estab-

lished by other scriptures, that we know that

he is justly entitled to be called God as well

as Saviour. For instance, Isaiah says of the

Son to be given, that "his name shall be called

Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The

everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Isa. 9 : 6. John says: " In the beginning

was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God." " And the Word

was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John

I : I, 14. God the Father addresses the Son

as follows: "Thy throne, 0 God, is forever

and ever." Heb. : 8. And when the re-



LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

deemed shall see Jesus their Saviour coming

in the clouds of heaven, they will say, " Lo,

this is our God; we have waited for him, and

he will save us." Isa. 25 : 9. Let none,

therefore, find fault with the rendering, Our

God and Saviour Jesus Christ," nor fear to

worship as God, Him whom all the angels

are commanded to worship.

THE stress which the apostle Peter lays

upon a knowledge of God is quite noticeable.

Twice in this lesson it is mentioned. He

would evidently impress upon our minds the

necessity of a personal acquaintance with

God-of knowing him as we wou'd an inti-

mate friend-and of loving him not simply

because of what he does, but because of what

he is. " God is love," and "we love him be-

cause he first loved us." It is this percep-

tion of his character which first draws us to

him,-" the goodness of God leadeth thee to

repentance." Rom. 2 : 4. By this we are

made partakers of the divine nature, that is,

adopted into the family of God. As sons of

God, it necessarily follows that our acquaint-

ance with him must become more and more

intimate. It is this intimate acquaintance

with God which multiplies peace to us.

"Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at

peace." Job

22 : 2 I. In

Gal. 4 : 6-9 the

apostle Paul makes a knowledge of God

equivalent to a state of sonship. It is evi-

dent, therefore, that the knowledge of God,

of which the apostles speak, is far more than

the simple knowledge and belief that God

exists as Creator of the world.

LESSON II.

November 3, 1883.

2 PETER 1:5-7.

I. WHAT is done for us through the great

promises of God ? 2 Peter r : 4.

Because of this, what are we to do ?

Verses 5-7.

What is the foundation of all graces ?

Verse 5.

What is the first thing that faith ac-

complishes for us? Rom. 5: 1.

Being justified by faith, what do we be-

come? Gal. 3: 26.

Having become children of God, may

we settle down in self-satisfaction? Eph. 5:1.

What must we do ? Verse 2.

Whose example are we to follow ?

Verse 2; r John

2 :

6; i Peter 2: 21.

Could we without faith do the things

that God requires? Heb. is:6; Rom. 14:23,

last part.

ro. Having been justified, how alone can

we remain in that state ? Hab. z : 4.

t. What does true faith always do ? Gal.

5 : 6, last clause.

12.

How alone can faith be shown to be

perfect? James

2 : 21, 22.

13.

What is said of a faith from which no

works proceed ? James 2 : 17, 26.

14.

What is to be added to faith?

15.

And what to virtue ?

16.

What knowledge must be added ? Col.

I : 9, to.

17.

What is the nature of this knowledge?

James 3: 17.

18.

What will be the result if we do not

obtain this knowledge? Hosea 4: 6, first

clause.

19.

What must be added to knowledge ?

zo. In what respect must we be temperate?

Cor. 9: 25.

21.

What is the meaning of temperance ?

Ans.-Mastery

of self; self-control. Seer Cor.

9:27.

22.

Does religion have anything to do with

one's eating and drinking ? 1 Cor. 1 o : 31.

23.

If a man eats and drinks simply for

the gratification of his appetite, what does he

worship? Phil. 3 : 18, 19.

24.

What great commandment does he

break ? Ex.

20 :

3; Matt.

22 :

37, 38.

25.

How are we to glorify God ? t Cor.

6:20.

26.

What will be the fate of those who

give themselves up to indulgence in appetite ?

Luke

21 :

34. See also Phil. 3: 18, 19.

NOTES.

"AND beside this giving all diligence, add

to your faith," etc.



A literal rendering of

the words translated "and beside this," would

be, "and for this cause," which is equivalent

to " wherefore." The reference may be to

the divine power that hath given us all things

that pertain unto life and godliness, or to the

exceeding great and precious promises, or

LESSON ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.



21 .

to the divine nature of which we are made

partakers. Because of this power, because

we are sons of God, we should use all dil-

igence to add the Christian graces.

THE idea of the apostle is not that any one

grace cannot be obtained until the one

preceding it has been perfected, as, for in-

stance, that we cannot have any godliness

until we are perfect in faith, virtue, knowl-

edge, temperance, and patience; for all these

things are a part of godliness. But he means

that we should possess them all, and daily

add to each. It may, however, be observed

that there seems to be a definite relation in

point of order, especially between temperance

and patience, for it is utterly impossible for

an intemperate man to be a patient man.

Indeed, temperance is, in a sense, patience,

for temperance is self-control, and patience

is the controlling of one's self under trying

circumstances. All the graces are, in fact,

interwoven, but faith is the foundation of all.

It must precede every other good thing.

ON the word " virtue" Dr. Barnes says:-

" The word here rendered

virtue

is the

same which is used in verse 3. . . . All

the things

which the apostle specifies, unless

knowledge

be an exception, are

virtues

in the

sense in which that word is commonly used,

and it can hardly be supposed that the apos-

tle here meant to use a general term which

would include all of the others. The proba-

bility is, therefore, that by the word here he

has reference to the common meaning of the

Greek word, as referring to manliness, cour-

age, vigor, energy; and the sense is that he

wished them to evince whatever firmness or

courage might be necessary in maintaining

the principles of their religion, and in endur-

ing the trials to which their faith might be sub-

jected. True virtue is not a tame and passive

thing. It requires great energy and boldness,

for its very essence is firmness, manliness, and

independence."

By a comparison of Phil. 3: 19 and Ex.

2o: 3 we learn that intemperance is a viola-

tion of the first commandment. But one who

violates the first commandment is an idolater.

Therefore it is utterly impossible that an in

temperate man should be a Christian. A

man who is given to surfeiting, has his mind

so beclouded that he cannot appreciate di-

vine things, or if he dimly realizes them, he

is unable to give them his full attention, and

so the great day of God comes and finds him

unprepared.

SSON III.

November so, 1888.

2 PETER 1 : 6, 7.

WHAT grace in Peter's list follows next

after temperance? 2 Peter

1 : 6.

How are we to inherit the promises of

God? Heb.

II, 12.

How alone can we inherit eternal life?

Rom. 2 : 7.

Under what circumstances must we be

patient ? Rom. 12 : 12.

What alone can produce patience ?

Rom.

3; James I :2, 3.

If we are to glory in tribulation, and

rejoice in the midst of trials, what time shall

we take for doubting, fears, and discourage-

ment ? 1 Thess. 5

: 16

; Phil. 4 4.

If we have the grace of patience in

perfection, what shall we lack that is neces-

sary to a perfect character ? James I : 4.

When trials shall have perfected pa-

tience in us, what will await us? James r

: 12;

Heb. To

:36.

What does Peter mention next after

patience ?

ro. What is declared to be " great gain " ?

r Tim.

6 : 6.

r. What follows godliness ?

12.

What commandment have we received

that shows the fitness of saying that brotherly

kindness must be added to godliness? r John

4 : 21.

13.

How alone may we know how we

ought to love one another? r John 4 : 7-I

14.

What is the evidence that one has been

converted? 1 John

3 :

14.

15.

Is the measure of love that the new

convert feels for the brethren sufficient for

all time

? I

Thess.

3:12; 4 : 9,

ro.

16.

How should we love one another?

John

15: 12; 13 : 34.

17.

What is the greatest measure of love

that a man can possess? John

15 : 13.

r8. Ought we to love•the brethren to that

extent ? I John

3 : 16.



Li SSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

19. What state of mind will render this less

difficult than it would naturally be ? Phil.

2 : 3.

zo. Repeat the apostle Paul's specific de-

scription of perfect brotherly kindness ? Eph.

4 3

, 3

NOTES.

" TRIBULATION worketh patience." Noth-

ing but tribulation can develop patience.

When everything goes smoothly, there is no

call for patience, and the person who has

none can get along very well. And when

there is no demand for patience, it is certain

that none can be developed. Some people

say that it is not true that tribulation works

patience; they say that trials and difficulties

make them impatient. But that is an error.

It is impossible that trials should plant im-

patience in the heart. All they do in the

case of one who manifests ill-temper, is to

bring to light the fact that he is destitute of

patience, and to develop impatience into

greater magnitude. But then why does his

patience increase rather than diminish with •

the continuance of trials? Simply because

he has not the foundation upon which to

build patience. Without a groundwork of

faith, it is impossible that tribulation should

work patience. And the Bible does not say

that they will do so under any other circum-

stances. See Rom. 5 : 1-5. But the one who

has firm faith will believe, and believing will

realize that " all things work together for goOd

to them that love God," and so he will gladly

endure trials.

"AND we ought to lay down our lives for

the brethren." This is literally true, not of

a few persons merely, but of all who are fol-

lowers of Christ, and not simply in times of

persecution, but all the time. This does not

mean that we shall all or any of us be called

to go to the stake, the block, or the gallows

for the brethren; it means that our lives

should be considered as not belonging to us,

but to the Lord, and that therefore they

should be used in his service. Christ is the

great Example. He " went about doing good."

When he was weary with toil, and faint with

hunger, he found rest and refreshment in

laboring to lift up the fallen. He "pleased

not himself." He sought only the welfare

and pleasure of others. It is such service as

this that calls for self-denial of the same class

as that which would lead one actually to lay

down his life for another. Without such a

self-sacrificing spirit as the ruling principle of

one's life, one would not actually lay down

his life for another, if it were required; or if

he should do so, the sacrifice would not be

acceptable to God. Seer Cor. 13 : 3. Daily

dying is the order with one who is a true fol-

lower of Christ. This does not mean self-denial

that is accompanied by a wry face, it means

service of which no one is cognizant—nec-

essary labor performed when weary, with the

same cheerfulness as when fresh. It is that

quiet service which finds its reward in the

fact that God knows.

How may we esteem others better than

ourselves? Easily enough; simply by look-

ing only at the good qualities of others, and

by seeing ourselves just as God sees us. The

Holy Spirit, by means of its sword, the word

of God, lays bare our own deceitful hearts,

and lets us see them just as they appear to

God. To be sure, for the sins that we find

there we may readily secure pardon; never-

theless having seen what manner of actions

our hearts naturally produce, and knowing

that but for the grace of God they would

never produce any other, we should learn hu-

mility. Now our brother

may be

in reality as

bad as we, or even worse; but since it is not

given us to know the secrets of his heart, the

things which we can see in our own hearts—

that is, the evil passions which, if not re-

pressed, would result in the wickedest acts—

are far worse than What we can see in our

brother's actions. And so we can, in lowli-

ness of mind, esteem others better than our-

selves.

WITHOUT godliness, there can be no

brotherly kindness. For (I) we must first

be adopted into the family of God before we

,can have brethren to whom to exercise Chris-

tian kindness. And (2) it is from the love

of God that we learn to love one another;

and we cannot know the love of God except

as it becomes a part of our being. Brotherly

kindness is simply the natural outflow of the

love of God which is shed abroad in our

hearts by the Holy Spirit—that Spirit whose

presence in us marks us as children of God.

THE measure of love which the newly con-

verted man feels, is only a sample of the love

which he ought to feel after he has been a

long time in the way. Brotherly love which

grows less after the beginning of one's Chris-

tian experience, is not such love as will give

an abundant entrance into the everlasting

LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.



kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus

Christ. That is not an instance of progress

toward Heaven, but of having one's feet set

in the right way and then turning around and

going back toward the world. The Christian

should " abound yet more and more " in faith

and love and every grace.

1_4; SSC) N IV.

November :7, :888.

PETER 1:7-15.

REPEAT

the list of. virtues sometimes

called " Peter's ladder." 2 Peter r : 5-7.

What is the crowning grace ? Verse 7,

last part.

What is charity? Col. 3 :

What other very common word is

equivalent to charity ? See Col. 3 : 14, and

other texts in Revised Version.

What is the end or object of the com-

mandment, or law, of God? I Tim. 1 : 5.

What, indeed, is Bible charity or

love? Rom. 13 : ro; I John 5 : 2, 3.

What is the Whole duty of man?

Eccl. 12 : 13.

Then since the keeping of the com-

mandments is charity, how does charity com-

pare with the other graces? I Cor. 13 : 13.

Into how much of our actions should

charity enter? I Cor. 16 :14.

ro. Without charity, what is the most

eloquent man like? I Cor. 13 :I.

Ir. Will-the possession of great faith and

deep knowledge of the mysteries of God,

make up in any degree for lack of charity?

Verse 2.

12.

Show that charity does not consist

simply in making great sacrifices and giving

to the poor. Verse 3.

13.

Tell what are the characteristics of

charity. Verses 4-6.

14.

If all these graces abound in any per-

son what will be his condition? 2 Peter

:8.

15.

Name some of the fruits that are

equivalent to the above graces. Gal. 5 : 22,

23.

16.

What is the condition of one who lacks

these things ? 2 Peter r :9.

17.

Then what should we do P Verse ro.

18.

What glorious reward awaits those in

whom "these things" abound? Verse Ir.

19.

What must be the nature of those

who inherit that eternal kingdom? Titus

2 :13, 14; Rev. 21 : 27.

20.

Is the fact that we know these things

any reason why we should not study them

diligently ? 2 Peter I : 12.

21.

Why was the apostle so zealous in

stirring up the minds of the people concern-

ing these great truths ? Verses 13, 14.

22.

What had the Lord shown him con-

cerning his death ? John 21 :18, 19.

23.

What was Peter's earnest desire that

we should do? 2 Peter I : 15.

24.

If these things are always in our

mind, what prayer may we offer ? Ps. 5 : r.

NOTES.

CHARITY, or love, is " the bond of perfect-

ness." This may readily be understood

when we remember that "love is the fulfill-

ing of the law," and that the whole law of

God, including every duty that can be re-

quired of man, is summed up in the two pre-

cepts, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God

with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and

with all thy mind," and, "Thou shalt love thy

neighbor as thyself." The love which is

the bond of perfectness is not a mere

emotion, but is a living, active principle,

manifest in every deed and thought of one's

life. Of course it is understood that love is

the bond of perfectness only when there is

underlying faith, for faith works by love, and

love is the product of faith.

"GIVE diligence, to make your calling and

election sure." Many are called, but few are

chosen. How many are called ? All. Here

is the call: "Ho, every one that thirsteth,'

come ye to the waters, and he that hath no

money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy

wine and milk without money and without

price." 4a. 55: I. "Whosoever will, let

him take the water of life freely." Rev. 22 : 17.

But not all will heed the call; and of those who

listen to it, very few comparatively will gain

the final inheritance, because the great majority

will not agonize to enter in. "Many, I say

unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not

be able." Luke 13:24. A man may even

be one of the elect,-one of the specially



LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

loved of God, yet if he does not give .dili-

gence to make his election sure, he will cer-

tainly fall. The doctrine of the persever-

ance of the saints" is an excellent one, if the

saints only persevere; but they must not

imagine that because they have tasted that the

Lord is precious, and have felt the power of

the world to come, therefore they are bound

to be kept to the end, regardless of their own

actions. Only those who patiently continue

in well-doing can have eternal life. To each

Christian the warning is given, "Hold that

fast which thou hast, that no man take thy

crown." Rev. 3 : I I.

1-41_,

T'SSOIN V.

November 1888.

011 PETER 1 : 16-21.

T. IN

his second epistle, what does Peter

say that he had previously made known to

the people ? 2 Peter r : 16.

With what positiveness could Peter

speak of the glory of Christ's coming?

lb.

When had he been an eye-witness of

Christ's majesty as it will be displayed at his

second coming? Verses 17, 18.

State the details of this occurrence.

Matt. 17: 1-5; Mark. 9 : 2-8; Luke 9 : 28-36.

What had Jesus previously said which

also shows that the transfiguration was a rep-

resentation of the second coming of Christ ?

Matt. 16 : 28; Mark 9 : 1.

Is it possible to have any better evi-

dence than that given to Peter, James, and

John? 2 Peter 1:19.

What office does the word of prophecy

serve to us ?

_lb.

Ps. 119: 105.

How long will it shine to show us the

way ? 2 Peter r : 19, last part.

In what

period are we living, that a

light should be necessary? Rom. 13 : 12;

Isa. 6o :2.

o. What has brought about this night of

darkness? Rom. I: 21.

1. Who is the day-star? Rev. 22 : 16;

John 8 : 12.

12.

Can any prophecy be interpreted by

the

unaided knowledge of any man ? 2 Peter

: 20.

13.

Why not ? Verse 21.

14.

What connection has the light of

prophecy with the day-star, the light of the

world? I Peter r : io, I1.

15.

Why cannot all the world see this light ?

Cor. 2 : 14; 2 Cor.

3, 4.

16.

What aid must we have in order to

understand it? r Cor. 2 : 9, to.

17.

Having the aid of the Spirit, how must

we proceed in our study ? Verse 13, last

clause.

NOTES.

usually considered that one who was

an eye-witness of any event is the one best

qualified to testify concerning it. And most

certainly it is better than testimony given at

second hand. So Peter assures us that he

had not been deceived by cunningly devised

fables when he made known the power and

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, because he

himself had been an eye-witness of his maj-

esty. Then he refers to the transfiguration

scene, in a way to show that that was what

he had in mind as exhibiting the power and

glory of Christ at his second advent. And

this is in accord with tr

ansfiguration.

our Saviour said

when he foretold the transfiguration.

" WHEN Christ, who is our life, shall ap-

pear," there will be two classes of the right-

eous who will " appear with him in glory"

-those who have fallen asleep, and those

who are alive

n d remain unto the coming

of the Lord.



The dead shall be raised,

and the living shall be changed, and so

they will together be glorified. So it was

when Christ was transfigured.



Elijah was

there as the representative of those who shall

be translated without seeing death, and

Moses, as the representative of those who

fall asleep. in Jesus, and whom God will

bring with him from the dead. That Moses

had been raised from the dead when he ap-

peared with Elijah upon the mount, is proved

(I) by the fact that if he had not been raised

from the dead he could not have been there,

for " the dead know not anything." Eccl.

9 : 5.



See also Eccl. 9 : 6, o; Ps. 6 : 5;

115 : 17; 146 : 3, 4; Isa. 38:10

II, 18, 19,

etc. (2) Jude says that Michael (Christ)

contended with the devil about the body of

Moses. Jude 9. The devil has the power

of death (Heb. 2 : 14) and shuts up in his

prison house (the grave) all that he can,

claiming that they are his lawful prey (see

Isa. 14 : 12-17); and although Christ has

brought away the keys of the grave, Satan

LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF • PETER.



does not willingly allow any to pass from his

power. There could not possibly be any-

thing that would cause a dispute between

Christ and Satan about the body of Moses,

except the matter of his resurrection. (3) If

Moses had not been raised from the dead,

the transfiguration would not be what both

Christ and Peter declared it to be,—a repre-

sentation of the second coming of Christ.

BUT notwithstanding the fact that Peter

had actually been an eye-witness of "the

power and coming" of Christ, and could tes-

tify from personal knowledge, he says, " We

have also a more sure word of prophecy,

unto which ye do well that ye take heed, as

unto a light that shineth in a dark place."

The Revised Version renders this verse as

follows : " We have the word of prophecy

made more sure;" but we cannot accept this

rendering. Alford says that this rendering

is on the ground,---

" That the comparative alludes to what has

gone before as its

reason,

as if it had been

said

Wherefore,

Now,

Henceforth

have, etc.; i. e., ' on account of this voice

from Heaven which we have heard, we have

firmer hold of, or esteem [possess] more sure

the prophetic word, as now having in our

own ears begun its fulfillment.' The great

objection to such a view is the omission of

any such connecting particles as those above

supplied. It is true the apostle may have

omitted them [as he certainly did, and, pre-

sumably, on purpose] ; but even supposing

that; it is further against the view, that if

such be the force of the comparison, the

thought is not at all followed up in the ensu-

ing verses."—

New Testament for English

•

Readers.

It may be further said that nothing can

make the word of prophecy more sure than

it was when it first came from the lips of the

holy men whom God inspired. The mean-

ing is evidently exactly given in the common

version, that the sure word of prophecy is

more sure than any panoramic view can be.

Our eyes may deceive us, but the word of

God " liveth and abideth forever."

PROPHECY

light proceeding directly from

God, who is himself light. With him there

is " no darkness at all." r John r :

Heaven, where the will of God is done per-

fectly, all is light. In the New Jerusalem,

the inhabitants "need no candle, neither light

of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them

light." Rev. 22 : 5. And when the will of

God shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven,

the whole earth will be lightened by the glory

of God. " The nations of them which are

saved shall walk in the light " that comes

from the city of God. Rev. 21 : 23, 24. But

sin has separated man from God, so that

darkness now covers the earth. The prophecy

comes as a beacon-light to guide men to the

source of light. As with the rays from a dis-

tant light-house, the prophetic light may at

first be comparatively faint; but the nearer

we approach to the source of light, the

brighter the light will become; and so of

those who take heed to it, it may truly be

said that their path is "as the shining light,

that shineth more and more unto the perfect

day." Prov. 4 : 18.

" No prophecy of the Scripture is of any

private interpretation."



This means that

Scripture is its own interpreter. For every

prophecy contained in the Bible, the key is

found there also, and therefore every proph-

ecy is of public interpretation—the interpre-

tation is just as free to one person as it is to

another. Whenever a man puts forth any

view as an explanation of a given prophecy,

the humblest person has a right to challenge

his exposition, no matter how learned he may

be.



If he cannot produce positive Scripture

authority for his interpretation, it must be

rejected, or at least held in suspense until

some wiser person can find .a Bible reason

for the theory. The Peshito Syriac version

renders the verse thus : " No prophecy is

an exposition of its own text." The idea is

the same as that expressed above. No man

can read a prophecy and tell by his own un-

aided power, from the reading of it, what it

means. He must look for an exposition to

some other passage, possibly in the same

chapter (as in Daniel 7), but still separate

from the prophecy itself. Spiritual things

must be compared with spiritual.

LESSON

December z, z888.

2 PETER 2 :1-10.

I. WHAT obstacles hindered the progress

of truth "in old time "? 2 Peter 2 : r, first

clause.

What did Peter say there should still

be among the people ? Same verse.

What does he say of the character and

work of these false teachers ? Same verse.

LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

Is it necessary that these false teachers

who deny the Lord should be avowed dis-

believers in him ? Titus 1 : 16.

What does Christ say will be the fate

of such ? Matt. 7 : 22, 23.

HoW much following will such ones

have ? 2 Peter 2 : 2.

What will be the result to the truth ?

Same verse.

What principle is it that leads these

men to cover their licentiousness with the

garb of religion ? Verse 3.

When such ones flourish the most,

what may we know concerning the time of

retribution ? Verses 1 and 3, last part of

each.

o. What three great events of the past

assure us that God will not allow them to go

unpunished? Verses 4-7, 9.

s. When will there be a parallel to the

wickedness of n

•

n in the days of Noah and

Lot ? Luke 17 : 26-30.

12.

In what did the great sin of the people

in those times consist ? Gen. 6 :2, 5, 12;

Jude 7.

13.

What does Peter say of these last-day

false professors ? 2 Peter 2 : so, first part.

14.

To what time are all the wicked re-

served for punishment? Verses 4, 9, last

part of each.

15.

What was the character of those who

escaped the judgments that have been brought

upon the earth in the past ? Verses 5, 7, 8.

16.

What encouragement can the righteous

find in the account of past judgments?

Verse 9, first part.

NOTES.

2 Peter 2: 4-9 three events of the past

are brought to view as evidences that God

will surely punish the wicked, and deliver the

godly out of temptation. First, " God spared

not the angels that sinned, but cast them

down to hell;" second, he "spared not the

old world, but saved Noah the eighth person,

a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the

flood upon the world of the ungodly;" and

third, he turned the cities of Sodom and

Gomorrah into ashes, "making them an en-

sample unto those that after should live un-

godly," but delivered just Lot. Now, says

Peter, if God did these three things, he knows

how to deliver the godly out of temptation,

and to reserve the unjust unto the day of

judgment to be punished. The fact that God

has done these things in the past (and that

he has, all the wicked may know if they will)

is sure evidence that God will finally punish

all the wicked, and will thereby deliver the

godly out of temptation.

AND here it may be noticed that the pun-

ishment of the wicked is necessary to the

complete redemption of the righteous. The

loyal angels could not have been delivered

from temptation if God- had not cast out

from among them the angels that kept not

their first estate. Jude 6. Lot's righteous

soul was vexed from day t ) day by the filthy

acts of the Sodomites, and the same must

have been the case with Noah, when every

imagination of the thoughts of the hearts of

men was only evil continually. God de-

stroyed the wicked race, preserving Noah

alive. So when wickedness abounds over

the whole earth, and men totally reject God's

Spirit the safety of God's loyal people, no

less than outraged law, demands the destruc-

tion of the wicked.

LESSON

December 8, z888.

2 PETER 2 : 10-22.

WHAT does the apostle Peter say of

the character of the false teachers who in the

last days shall cause many to err from the

truth ? 2 Peter 2 : IO, 12, 13, 14.

What shows their contempt for author-

ity? Verse so; Jude 8, so.

How does their conduct in this re-

spect contrast with that of beings who are

really great ? 2 Peter 2 : 1s.

What example of Christ's have we

concerning speaking evil even of the wicked?

Jude 9.

What positive commandment have we

concerning our attitude toward those holding

high positions ? Rom. 13 :1; s Tim. 2 :1, 2.

Are we at liberty to make an excep-

tion in the case of wicked rulers? 1 Tim.

2 : I, 2; Titus 3 : 1, 2.

Whose example does the apostle say

these false teachers follow ? 2 Peter 2 : 15;

Jude 11.

LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.



Relate in brief the circumstances of

Balaam's connection with the children of

Israel.• See Numbers, chapters 22, 23, 24.

What is said of the instability of such

ones, and of their final end ? 2 Peter 2 :17;

Jude 12, 13.

Jo. By what means do they allure souls to

destruction ? 2 Peter 2 : 18.

1. What do they promise those who follow

them ? Verse 19.

12.

Yet into what bondage do they bring

their dupes ? John 8 : 34•

13.

To what are people made subject

through fear of death? Heb. 2 : 14, 15.

i4. What is it that causes death and the

fear of it ? Rom. 5 :12.

15.

Then what is it that bringa men into

bondage?

16.

Who alone can give freedom? Ps.

102 : 19, 20; Isa. 61 : I.

27. Where alone is true liberty found?

Ps. 119 :45; John 8 :32.

18.

What profit is it to a man to be freed

from the pollutions of the world, if he after-

wards returns to them ? 2 Peter 2 : 20, 21.

19.

Then what should be done by each one

who has come to the knowledge of Christ ?

2 Peter r : r o.

NOTES.

" THEY are not afraid to speak of evil

dignities." The dignities, or, more literally,

glories, here referred to are doubtless super-

natural powers, whether good or bad. The

Syriac has it, " They shudder not with awe

while they blaspheme." The meaning evi-

dently is that these presumptuous, licentious

teachers of what they claim is religion, have

no regard for authority. This is shown by

the first part of the verse, where it is said

that they "despise government." There is no

special class of people to whom the'specifica-

tions of this chapter will apply, except Spirit-

ualists. Not that all Spiritualists are actually

•

openly immoral; but there is not one who

does not hold to doctrines that naturally lead

to immorality. They teach that man is him-

self a part of God, and so is amenable to no

power but himself; that he is a law to him-

self, and is his own judge. Now it makes

no difference how much men prate about

culture, refinement, elevation, and morality,

when they shut themselves off from the only

Source of morality. When men teach 'that

the impulses of their own natures are the

only, law to be followed, they must eventually

land in the pit of corruption.

BUT when men despise the government of

God, it is but a step to the despising of all

human authority. Indeed, when men do not

regard the claims of God, whatever obedience

they render to human laws is due solely to

fear of immediate punishment. In the Bible,

honor to earthly kings is placed next to the fear

of God. Says Peter, " Fear God. Honor

the king." r Peter 2 : i7. And the command-

ment to ancient Israel was: "Thou shalt not

revile God, nor curse a ruler of thy people."

Ex. 22 : 28, Revised Version. It is worthy of

note that most Spiritualists are open sympathiz-

ers with anarchy. Respect for authority is the

prime factor in true religion. The man who is

not afraid to speak evil of those who are in au-

thority, who rails at those who are in official

position, whether in Heaven, or in earthly

Governments, is a dangerous man. He

may

not do any great evil, because. of lack of op-

portunity; but once let him have an opportu-

nity, without the fear of physical punishment

to deter him, and there is nothing to restrain

him from going to the greatest lengths. It is

a bad sign to see a man railing at even a

wicked ruler. When Peter wrote, " Honor

the king," and Paul wrote, " Let every soul

be subject unto the higher powers" (Rom.

13 : t), wicked kings were reigning. But they

occupied the place of authority, and their

official position was to be respected, however

wicked they might be.

SAYS the apostle: " They allure through the

lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness,

those that were clean escaped from them who

live in error." A man always falls, if he does

fall,. in the direction toward which he leans.

Says Christ: " From within, out of the heart

of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, for-

nications, murders, thefts, covetousness,

wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness," etc. Mark

7 : 21, 22. Now with these propensities ex-

isting naturally in the heart, it inevitably fol-

lows that when a man heeds th'e words of

those who " despise government," he will

fall to the lowest depths of vice.

So the apostle continues: " While they

promise them liberty, they themselves are the

servants of corruption; for of whom a man is

overcome, of the same • is he brought in

bondage." These false teachers, and their

name nowadays is legion, talk a great deal



LESSONS ON S2COND EPISTLE OF PETER.

about " liberty." They refuse

to be bound

down

by laws. They tell their dupes to as-

sert their godlike power and be free.



was thus that Satan tempted Eve. "Ye

shall be like God," said he, and he made her

believe that the just law of God was arbitrary,

and devised solely for the purpose of keeping

man in an inferior position. Too late she

found out the baseness of such a charge.

" The bondage of corruption " is the worst

bondage conceivable. Even in this life, men

find that liberty is found only in obedience

to law. Daniel Wise truly said that " per-

fect liberty is perfect obedience to a perfect

law." Law is the best friend that man

has. And "the glorious liberty of the sons of

God " will be shared only by such as "keep

the lAw of God." They will have the free-

dom of God's universe throughout eternity,

while to those who seek liberty in following

their own devices, is reserved " the blackness

of darkness forever."

LESSON

VIII.

December 15, 186'8.

2 PETER 3 :1-7.

(Commit

to memory the verses in Peter which

form the

basis

of this lesson.]

I. To whom was the second epistle of

Peter addressed ?

Peter r : I.

Why was it written?

Peter 3 : I.

Of what does the apostle wish us to be

mindful? Verse

What purpose does prophecy serve?

Peter I : 19.

Upon what is special light given by

the prophecy ? I Peter 1 : II, last part; Dan.

2:28.

Give reference to some prophecies

which foretell the final glory of Christ, and

give the substance of each. Ps. 5o : 1-3;

Hab. 3 : 3-6 ; Isa. 63 : 1-6, etc.

What must we look for just before the

end ? 2 Peter 3 : 3 ; Jude 17, 18.

Me.ntion some other places in the writ-

ings of the apostles where this is foretold.

I Tim. 4: I,

2; 2

Tim. 3 : 1-5, 13; 4: 1-4;

Thess. 2: 8-1o.

Of what do these scoffers profess to be

ignorant? 2 Peter 3 : 4.

o. Is there any excuse for such ignorance?

Verse

. What notable event recorded in Script-

ure shows that all things have

not

continued

as they were from the beginning of the-crea-

tion ? Verses 5, 6.

12.

How did the earth come into existence?

Ps. 33 : 6, 8, 9.

13.

In what condition was the earth at

first ? Gen. I :

14.

What division was first made in this

watery mass ? Verses 6, 7.

15.

What was done with the waters that

were beneath the firmament? Verse 9;

Ps. 33.7.

16.

When, by the word of the Lord, the

flood destroyed the earth, how did the waters

that were stored up in the earth contribute

to that result? Gen. 7 : tr.

17.

What fate, by the same authority, now

awaits the earth ? 2 Peter 3 : 7.

18.

Where has the word of the Lord de-

clared this? Nahum 1:5; Isa. 34 : 8-r o;

Deut. 32 :

22.

19.

What positive assurance have we that

this will be done ?

Ans.-We

have the word

of Him who spoke the earth into existence,

and who caused the water that constituted a

portion of the earth, to contribute to its de-

struction. See 2 Peter 3:5-7.

20.

Show the analogy between the de-

struction of the earth by water, and its de-

struction by fire. See note on verses 5-7.

NOTES.

THE

phrase, "the earth standing out of the

water and in' the water," does not at all ex-

press the idea of the original. The Greek

word which in the Authorized Version is

rendered "standing," should, as the margin

indicates, be rendered "consisting." Rob-

inson's "Lexicon of the New Testament" says

of the word: "To

place together

parts into a

whole, i.

e.,

to constitute, to create, to bring

into existence. Hence, in N. T., intransitive,

to be constituted, created; to exist,"

as in Col.

I : 17, "by him all things

consist."

Wake-

field translates the passage thus : "A heaven

and earth formed out of water and by means

of water." Bloomfield. says: "The earth



. being formed out of water, and con-

sisting by means of water." Murdock's trans-

lation of the Syriac has it: "The earth rose

up from the waters, and by means of water,

LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.



by the word of God." The meaning is that

the earth in its chaotic state was simply a

watery mass, as indicated by Gen. r : 2:

"And the earth was without form, and void;

and darkness was upon the face of the

deep.

And the Spirit of. God moved upon the face

of the

waters."

"WHEREBY the world that then was, being

overflowed with water, perished." When God

gathered the waters together into one place,

and made the dry land appear, he evidently

stored large quantities of water in the interior,

of the earth. This is indicated in the second

commandment, by the phrase, " the waters

which are under the earth," and by Ps. r36 : 6:

"To him that stretched out the earth above

the waters," and also by Ps. 33 : 7 ; 24 : r, 2.

In the flood which destroyed the earth in the

days of Noah, the waters in the interior of

the earth united with the rain from heaven, as

the record says : "The same day were all the

fountains of the great deep broken up, and

the windows of heaven were opened." Gen.

7 : r. The idea of the passage in Peter's

epistle is that one of 'the very elements from

which the earth was formed, was made to con-

tribute to its destruction. Having disproved

the assertion that all things continue as they

were from the beginning of the creation, the

apostle draws a parallel, thus :

" But the heavens and the earth, which are

now, by the same word [the word of God, see

verse 5] are kept in store, reserved unto fire

against the day of Judgment and perdition of

ungodly men." 2 Peter 3 : 7. Instead of,

"are kept in store reserved unto fire against

the day of Judgment," a better translation

would be, "stored with fire, reserved unto the

day of Judgment." Now the comparison is

at once apparent. By the word of God, the

earth, in the beginning, was formed from the

watery mass which God had spoken into ex-

istence. Part of this water was stored up in

the earth, and by the word of God was after-

ward caused to overflow th6 earth, and con-

tribute to its destruction. And the same

word of God, which performed this, has stored

the interior of this present earth with fire, and

is keeping it till the day of Judgment, when,

as in the case of the waters of the flood, the

fire within the earth, uniting with that which

comes down from God out of Heaven (Rev.

20 : 9) will destroy it.

PARTICULAR attention should be given to the

word "kept." Instead of all things continu-

ing as they were - from the beginning of the

creation, the earth has within it the elements

of its destruction, and it is only the power of

God that stays the catastrophe.

SOME have fancied that this chapter teaches

that the earth will be annihilated at the Judg-

ment day. This is a mistake. This earth.

will be destroyed in the same sense that the

original earth "perished" by the waters of the

earth. It was all broken up, and the face of

it was changed,' so that the earth after the

flood had no resemblance to the earth before

the flood. This was the last and greatest

curse caused by sin, and completed the deso-

lation of the earth. But the matter which

composed the earth was not destroyed. So

by the fires of the last day "the elements shall

melt with fervent heat," but they will not be

annihilated. From those melted elements,

"new heavens and a new earth" will be

formed, which will have no more resemblance

to this sin-cursed earth than this earth does to

Eden, the garden of God. Th e people that shall

dwell in it will all be righteous (Isa. 6o : 21);

and "the wilderness and the solitary place

shall be glad for them; and the desert shall

rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall

blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with

joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall

be given unto it. the excellency of Carmel and

Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord,

and the excellency of our God." Isa.

35 : 1, 2.

1.1ESSCIN

December 25, z888.

2 PETER 3:7-12.

STATE

the argument which the apostle

Peter says the last-day -scoffers will urge

against the doctrine of Christ's second com-

ing.

Show the falsity of their statement.

How is it that these scoffers are so

blind? Compare 2 Peter 3 : 3, last part, with 2

Thess. 2 : to-12 and Heb. 3 : 13. See note.

What has the word of the Lord spoken

concerning the fate of this earth ? 2 Peter ,

3 7-

What is said of God's relation to time ?

Verse 8 ; Ps. 90 : 4.

What important lesson may we learn

from this? See note.

Why is it that God has so long delayed

his threatened judgments? 2 Peter 3 : 9.

Yet how are the majority of wicked



LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

men affected by his merciful patience? Eccl.

8: II.

9. What effect does the favor of God have

upon these wicked scoffers? Isa. 26 : to.

so. Because the judgments of God are

delayed, how does the condition of the

wicked often appear, as compared with that

of the righteous? Ps. 73 : 3, 4, 12, 13.

1. What do they themselves think? Ps.

49: II.

12.

But how will it be in reality? Eccl.

8: 12, 13.

13.

At what time shall the proud be hum-

bled? Isa. 2:12.

14.

How will the day of the Lord come

upon them? 2 Peter 3 : so.

15.

What will they be saying when the time

of their destruction thus suddenly bursts upon

them? I Thess. 5 : 2, 3.

16.

What will take place in the day of the

Lord? 2 Peter 3 : to.

17.

What does 'the prophet Isaiah say of

that day? Isa. 13: 6, 7, 9, to.

18.

What is the testimony of Zephaniah ?

Chap. i : 14-18.

19.

Is it a time to be desired ? Amos

5 : 18-20.

20.

What was said about it by a righteous

man to whom the Lord granted a prophetic

view of it ? Hab. 3 : 16.

21.

Who will pass through that terrible

time unharmed? Ps. 91 : I, 5-1o.

22.

What will protect them? Verses 2-4.

23.

In view of the great events that are

surely coming, what should be our constant

thought ? 2 Peter 3:11,12.

NOTES.

"LEST your hearts be hardened through the

deceitfulness of sin." This is a most forcible

expression, and the truth which it suggests

should receive far more attention than it does.

When a man deliberately resolves to pursue

a certain course, even though he knows it to

be wrong, he will very soon come to the firm

belief that that course is right, and will, of

course, be incapable of receiving the truth on

the subject: All are familiar with the story

of the old Indian chief who was quite favor-

ably inclined toward Christianity as the mis-

sionary talked with him, until he was told that

all men would rise at the last day. "What!"

said he, " will all who have died in battle rise

again? And shall I have to meet those whom

I have slain ? " Being answered in the affirm-

ative, he exclaimed, " It isn't so; I won't

have it so; they shall not rise." After that

no amount of reasoning could convince him

that there would be a resurrection. In Dr.

Mark Hopkins's "Evidences of Christianity,"

Lecture s, occurs the following apt statement

of the way in which men's desires overrule

their reason:—

"`Men,' says Hobbs, appeal from custom

to reason, and from reason to custom, as it

serves their turn, receding from custom when

their interest requires ,it, and setting them-

selves against reason as oft as reason is against

them ; which is the cause that the doctrine of

fight and wrong is perpetually disputed' both

by the pen and the sword; whereas the doc-

trine of lines and figures is not so, because

men care not, in that subject, what is truth,

as it is a thing that crosses no man's ambi-

tion, or profit, or lust. For, I doubt not, if

it had been a thing contrary to any man's

right of dominion, or to the interest of men

that have dominion, that the three angles of

a triangle should be equal to two angles of a

square, that the doctrine should [would] have

been, if not disputed, yet, by the burning of

all books on geometry, suppressed, as far as

he whom it concerned was able.' This,'

says Hallam, from whose work I make the

quotation, does not exaggerate the pertinacity

of mankind in resisting the evidence of truth

when it thwarts the interests or passions o(

any particular sect or community.' Let a

man who hears the forty-seventh proposition

of Euclid announced for the first time, trace

the steps of the demonstration, and he

must

believe it to be true; but let him, know that

as soon as he does perceive the evidence of

the proposition, so as to believe it on that

ground, he shall lose his right eye, and he

will never trace the evidence, or come to

that belief which results from the force of the

only proper evidence. You may tell him it

is true, but he will reply that he does not

know, he does not see it to be so."

The same thing is usually the case when

the truth cuts across one's cherished sins.

Says Hopkins : "Let the mists that steam up

before the intellect from a corrupt heart, be

dispersed, and truths, before obscure, shine

out as the noonday." No man can think

the thoughts of God, unless he walks in the

ways of God.

THE " sure word of prophecy " tells us

again and again that this earth shall be de- •

stroyed by fire, and that in that fire the un-

LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER



godly shall be burned up. Scoffers say that

they see no evidence that any such event will

ever take place; but the apostle Peter assures

us that the instrument of the earth's destruc-

tion is already prepared, and is stored within

it. Just as surely as the earth was once de-

stroyed by water, so surely will it again be

destroyed by fire.

" But these prophecies were spoken hun-

dreds, and some of them thousands, of years

ago, and there is no more evidence of their

fulfillment now than there was when they

were uttered." Thy argues the scoffer; but

it is a vain argument; (r) because it is not

true, and (2) because of the following state-

ment:—

" But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one

thing, that one day is with the Lord as a

thousand years, and a thousand years as one

day." 2 Peter 3 : 8.

God " inhabiteth eternity." The flight. of

time makes no difference with his plans.

Compared with his eternity, the entire 6,000

years of earth's existence is but a span. Says

the psalrlist, " For a thousand years in thy

sight are but as yesterday when it is passed,

and as a watch in the night." Ps. 90 : 4.

Therefore the apostle concludes that " the

Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as

some men count slackness." That which

seems to men forgetfulness of the promise, is

only a kindly delay to allow dilatory men to

secure the promise. In God's reckoning, it

is only as the three days' grace, which men

allow for the payment of a promissory note.

It should not be forgotten that while a

thousand years is with the Lord as one day,

one day is as a thousand years. This is too

often overlooked. While he may take a

thousand years for the fulfillment of a promise,

.and then it will be the same as though per-

formed the next day, he can do in one day

the work of a thousand years. Therefore

there is no warrant for settling down to carnal

ease, thinking that it will necessarily be a

long time yet before the work of God on earth

can be accomplished: " For he will finish

the work, and cut it short in righteousness;

because a short work will the Lord make

upon the earth." Rom. 9 : 28.

" FOR when they shall say, Peace and

safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon

them." This refers to a time when men will

not simply be predicting peace and safety,

but will proclaim that it has actually come.

For many years men have been teaching that

a millennium of perfect peace and righteous-

ness mould precede the coming of the Lord.

The members of the National Reform Asso-

ciation say that when Christianity is recognized

and enforced by law, then the millennium

will have come, and that wars, famines, and

pestilence will cease: In the National Re-

form Convention held at Monmouth, Ill.,

Sept. 29, 1884, and reported in the

Christian

Statesman

of November 6, M. A. Gault said:

" We do not flatter ourselves when we say

that the glorious millennial day will he ush-

ered in by the triumph of this movement."

So when they shall have gained their ob-

ject, the Scripture will be fulfilled, which

says : "And it shall come to pass in the last

days, that the mountain of the Lord's house

shall be established in the top of the mount-

ains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and

all nations shall flow unto it.



And many

people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us

go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the

house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach

us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.

For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the

word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he

shall judge among the-nations, and shall re-

buke many people; and they shall beat their

swords into plowshares, and their spears into

pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword

against nation, neither shall they learn war

any more." Isa. 2 : 2-4. Thus they will be

saying, " Peace and safety," and then sud-

denly, like a thief in the niaht, when they are

unprepared, destruction from the Almighty

shall come upon them. Read the remainder

of Isaiah 2.

ICE

S C.).LN

December 29,

1888.

2 PETER 3:13-18.

GIVE

a statement of some of the things

that will take place in the day of the ,Lord.

To what condition will the earth be

reduced? 2 Peter 3 : 10, 12.

Notwithstanding this, for what may we

confidently look ? Verse 13.

Where is this promise recorded? Isa.

65 : 17.

What is said of the beauty of the new

earth ? Isa. 35 : 1, 2

;

51 : 3.

What class of people shall live in it?

Isa. 6o : 21; 2 Peter 3 : 13.

How long will they possess it ? Isa.

6o : 21

;

Ps. 37 : 29; Dan. 7

18.

Will they be troubled by disease?

Isa. 33 : 24.



LESSONS ON SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

9. What change will be wrought in the

righteous ones who now are afflicted? Isa.

35 5,

1o. What is said of the peace and quiet of

that land?



Isa. 32 : 17, 19 ; 54 : 13, 14;

6o: r8.

t. How will the people stand related to

the great Source of wisdom and peace ? Isa.

54 : 13; Rev. 21 :3, 4; 22 : 3, 4.

12.

Seeing we look for such glorious things

when Christ comes, what should we do?

2 Peter 3 : 14.

13.

How should we regard the fact that

God has so long delayed the great consum-

mation? Verses 9, 15.

14.

What apostle besides Peter has said

much about the second coming of Christ ?

Verse 15, last part.

15.

How extensively does Peter say that

Paul has spoken of these things ? Verse 16.

.16. Is there one of Paul's epistles which

does not refer to the second coming of Christ

and the Judgment ?

i7. What epistles contain a mention of this

event in every chapter?

Ans.—The

epistles

to the Thessalonians.

18.

In view,of the glorious future that is

promised to the righteous, and the great

wickedness that will prevail just before the

Lord comes, of what should we beware?

2 Peter 3 : 17.

19.

In view of the failures of God's people

in the past, what warning is given us? 1,

Cor.



:12.

20.

How alone can we keep from being

led away by the error of the

wicked? 2

Peter 3 : 18.

21.

To whom and for what should we

ascribe glory?

lb.,

Jude 24, 25.

NOTES.

IN the epistles of Paul there are "some

things hard to be understood, which they

that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they

do also the other scriptures, to their own

destruction." Notice that it is not said that

there is anything in Paul's epistles that is im-

possible to be understood. It is only "hard

to be understood." But that which is hard

to be understood may be understood by hard

study. Moreover it is only the unlearned

and unstable that wrest them to their own

destruction. The double-minded, or unstable,

will take the strongest statements concerning

the law and the gospel, and will construe

them so as to make them teach the abolition

of the law and consequently of the gospel.

It is only the "unlearned," those who do not

look beneath the surface, who do this. Those

who delight in the law of God, and who know

Christ, "in whom are hid all the treasures of

wisdom and knowledge," have a key with

which they may unlock any of the mysteries

of that most profound writer. Notice further,

also, that those who wrest the words of Paul

out of their legitimate nieaning, do the same

thing also to the other scriptures.

" BUT grow in grace and in the knowledge

of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." This

text is misquoted in two ways. A very com-

mon misquotation is, "Grow in

knowledge of the truth." There is no such

text to be found in the Bible, although this

text amounts to the same thing, because

Christ is the truth, as well as the way and the

life. John 14 : 6. The poet says of Christ,—

In thy life the law appears

Drawn out in living characters."

He was the law personified. If one wishes

to know just how much righteousness the

law of God requires, he has only to study the

life and character of Christ. All the beauty

and holiness of Christ were simply the mani-

festation of the law of love which prompted

every act. It is in the life and death of Christ

that we can get more exalted ideas of the

holiness and majesty of God's law. If we

do not grow in knowledge of Christ, we can

never have the law written in our hearts, for

it is only in him that we can be made the

righteousness of God. 2 Cor. 5 : 21.

Another misquotation is sometimes heard

in prayers to Christ, that we may "grow in

grace and in thy knowledge." The

idea

seems to be that we must grow in the knowl-

edge that Christ has, so as to approach him

in wisdom. But this is not the proper idea.

We are simply and literally to grow in the

knowledge of Jesus Christ. We must know

him intimately. He must sup with us, and

we with him; but he must be a constant com-

panion, and not a transient guest. And in

proportion as we know him intimately, know

him as a friend, loving and true, know him

as the " chiefest among ten thousand, and

the one altogether lovely," we shall develop

that purity of heart which will enable us to

see God; for Christ cannot be comprehended

except as we become like him.

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rpecial Y

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IN THE STUDY OF THE LESSONS ON THE

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ADDRESS,

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Elie

001 Li atiterlit

ON THE

THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE

e SECOND EPISTLE 0' PETER

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